Aphrodite's Quest for Love
by Windwhistles
Summary: Response to Aphrodite Finds Love challenge! Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty, but she realizes she has no idea what love even is, and yet humans thank her for having found it. Determined to find this aspect of herself, she sets out...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the gods and goddesses in this story. They seem to have taken on a life of their own. **

**In response to the Aphrodite Finds Love Challenge. The details of this challenge can be found on my profile. Anyone who wants to join in, please go ahead. Please do let us know you have done so, so that we can read your take on this challenge. **

Chapter One – A Premonition of Doom

Boring! Boring! Bo_ring_! Aphrodite glared at herself in the mirror, then stopped, remembering the dangers of wrinkles, and then gave in to temptation with a sigh. It was somehow interesting to see what a scowl did to her normally perfect features. It didn't seem right to see her lips peeled back in a snarl and her brows come together. Of course, those brows did frame her eyes beautifully. She stared dreamily at her eyes, which had taken on the color of the sunny, cloudless sky outside (Apollo _had_ outdone himself that day), taking pleasure in the perfect symmetry of her features.

She had chosen to array herself in what she thought of as her blonde attire: long, wheat-colored locks flowing like a golden stream down her back, beautifully arched golden brows above blue eyes (hadn't she already described the way they took on the color of the blue skies outside? She thought she had, but it never hurt to repeat a good thing). She didn't notice that the angry expression had receded from her face. What was there to be angry about when such perfection lay in front of you?

The knock on the door interrupted her musings, instantly bringing the scowl back to her face. She _hated _ being interrupted when she was doing something important. Then she caught herself, and rolled her eyes in dismay. Great, _this_ was what she'd been reduced to – entertaining herself with her facial expressions because she was so bored. What a downside to immortality. She was so caught up in her dismay, she forgot to inquire who was at the door, and let out a groan.

"Trouble in paradise?" asked an amused male voice from the doorway.

Aphrodite turned around in joy to see her son smiling at her and she immediately brightened. From the doorway, Eros watched as she seemed to change before him. The light made her skin glow, picking out the golden highlights in her skin and creating a halo-like effect about her. He always thought his mother aptly named the goddess of beauty, and when one saw her in such a manner, it was difficult to refuse her anything. Yet, conversely, she seemed less inclined to uphold her position as the goddess of love. He wondered if that elusive, all-encompassing emotion had ever held her or ever would. Somehow, he doubted it.

"Darling," she cooed, coming forward to take his hands and kiss his cheeks (a habit he endured with long-suffering tolerance). "It's been too long. I _missed_ you. Where in the world have you _been_?"

"I took Psyche for a holiday in Hawaii," he said, ignoring the black look that came over his mother's face at the mention of her longtime enemy. "She was getting a bit tired with the new baby coming. It was brilliant! You won't believe how blue the waters are, and-"

"All right, all right, you needn't prose on about it, I get it," said Aphrodite irritably. "I suppose that's why you haven't been to see me lately. Your wife was far more important than your mother." She shrugged a haughty shoulder and turned away in a pique, missing the grim look her son sent her.

Eros mentally counted to ten, reminding himself that losing his temper would do no good, and that if his words to his mother hadn't changed in the last few millennia, then those words were hardly likely to have an effect now. Still, it took a bit of effort. He had to count to twenty before he managed to conquer the urge to stalk off. She was, after all, his mother.

"Why the long face today?" he inquired, mentally congratulating himself on his careless tone. "It's quite unlike you to be so...blue."

The question brought Aphrodite out of her black musings on her rival for her son's affections. She assumed a woebegone expression, and said plaintively. "There's nothing to _do_, dearest. I'm practically _dying_ of ennui in this – this place." She indicated her divine surroundings with hint of disdain.

Her son's eyebrows (golden-colored like her own) rose in response, sparkling in amusement. "Careful, mother," he warned, "you know what happens when you say that."

"What?" asked Aphrodite sulkily. She hated being nagged.

Eros went close to her mother and whispered in her ear. "The fates take it as an invitation to issue you a challenge."

Aphrodite was silenced. She _did_ know it, and how it had escaped her notice, she did not know. Everything that had gone wrong in her otherwise perfect life had happened during the times when she'd groaned out loud and asked the fates for something to _do_. As a matter of fact, if Eros hadn't arrived when he had, she was quite sure that she would have whined out aloud. The narrow escape had her blue eyes opening wide – had the words escaped her earlier? She hastily thought back over the past few days, but she couldn't remember.

"Mother?" asked Eros, slightly worried at the myriad expressions crossing the goddess's features.

"What have I done?" she whispered out loud, "Oh almighty Zeus, what have I done?"

"Mother, snap out of it!" said Eros sharply, shaking Aphrodite slightly by taking hold of her shoulder.

She looked at him without really seeing him. She was seeing all the signs of a challenge being placed. How had she missed them? The boredom, the restlessness, the retreat into her divine sanctuary when she would normally be flitting around to the abodes of all the other gods. A challenge was being made for her, and she had no idea what to do. Something was about to go terribly wrong and out of her control.

In fact, if she wasn't mistaken, one of those consequences of those out-of-her-control events was approaching the door right now. The thought of it sent every vestige of her happiness from her being, and as she turned toward that doorway, the coldness of the expression sent a chill through her son, who had turned in the same direction.

**Author's note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you feel like leaving a review, I'd really love it. I've also listed other authors who have taken up this challenge and will hopefully keep adding names as we go on. **

**Brecky: "What is Love?" found at: **.net/s/6025460/1/What_is_Love


	2. Chapter 2

**disclaimer: I don't own the gods and goddesses, but I admit, I love playing in this universe. **

Chapter Two

The tentative knock at the door had Aphrodite smiling in grim satisfaction. Hah, at least, the little tart had learned her lesson, knowing she wasn't welcome there freely. She deliberately turned away and said, "Enter!" Out of the corner of her eye, she jealously watched Eros' reaction as his wife entered the room.

The goddess-by-marriage (it was only because of that and Zeus' pity, thought Aphrodite sourly, that Psyche had attained that status) glided into the room, her eyes resting briefly on her mother-in-law before turning lovingly to her handsome husband. Despite herself, Aphrodite watched them embrace each other, saw Eros smile warmly and lay his hand on Psyche's stomach. The raven-haired goddess, thought Aphrodite smugly, resembled nothing so much as a cow at that moment, big as she was with the child she would give birth to any day. As if to confirm her superiority, she gave herself a quick look in the mirror, and smiled again in satisfaction.

The couple paid her no attention. In direct contrast to his mother, Eros thought his wife looked more beautiful than the first time he had seen her. It seemed to make no difference how much time had passed since they had finally come together, to him she remained the most beautiful (and with the goddess of beauty as his mother, that was really saying something), fascinating woman in the world, and not a day passed in which he was not grateful for her presence in his life. She and Pleasure, their daughter, were his greatest delights.

As they continued to stare at each other, Aphrodite became angry. It was absolutely sickening, she thought to herself, to see them mooning over each other in that way. For Zeus' sake, didn't they _ know_ that they were standing in _her_ presence? To remind them of the fact, she cleared her throat – loudly. As they jumped apart, Eros turned to glare at her, but his companion (despite all the millennia that had passed since the wedding, Aphrodite refused to acknowledge Psyche's presence in her son's life) just smiled. Her unabated placidity had Aphrodite working herself into a fine rage. She _hated_ Psyche.

"How _dare_ you come in here?" she demanded icily. The smiles immediately fell from their faces, Eros' features darkening with anger of his own. Psyche held his arm tightly. "Get out, _now! _I don't have the time or the inclination to spend time with the likes of _you_!"

"Now, listen here," started Eros furiously, stepping forward, but Psyche dragged him back.

"_No_!" she said firmly, addressing Eros. "Come on, darling, let's just go. She's not worth talking to, today."

Aphrodite shrieked in rage and picked up her hairbrush to throw at her nemesis, but Eros was faster. He yanked the would-be weapon from her hand and threw it behind her. She threw herself at him, trying to get to Psyche, but he stood steadfastly in her way until he knew his wife had left. Then, he laid his hands on his mother's shoulders and put her back from him as gently as he could. It was not in his nature to be harsh or cruel. As she dissolved into tears, berating him for his ungrateful, selfish behavior, he gave her a sad look, and then turned to follow his wife.

No, his mother would never change.

After her sobs had subsided, Aphrodite gave a final sniff before wiping her cheeks and flying to the mirror again to repair the damage. Thank Zeus for immortality. She didn't know how mortals could let themselves age. The very thought of old-age spots and sagging skin made her feel sick. Pushing such unpleasant thoughts from her mind, she pulled herself together and left her rooms, musing that she would have to make some overture to Eros.

Oh well, it would all sort itself out over time. After all, it wasn't as if she had said or done anything wrong, she told herself virtuously. She, Aphrodite, was merely defending her abode from the invasion of the bouncing, bumptious goddess who had ensnared her precious son. How the other gods thought that cow charming, she just couldn't understand. She alone knew better. Some day, Eros would understand and agree with her. She just had to wait for that joyful day when her son would return to her, and kick out the interloper.

Thinking of the way she would laugh made Aphrodite feel instantly better and she smiled at Hermes as she flitted past him, causing the divine messenger to sigh and look after her wistfully. In the meantime, she had some fates to see about a challenge.

"Lachesis, will you _please_ hold that thread steady?" asked Atropos in an exasperated voice. "I can't cut it if you keep moving it like that." She shook back her red-gold hair irritatedly, and turned her green gaze on her sister.

"For the tenth time, Atropos, I am _not_ moving it on purpose," insisted Lachesis, glaring at Atropos, her hands shaking with the effort to hold the thread in her hands still. "The soul's fighting back, and-"

"La-la-la, I can't hear you, la-la-la," sang Atropos in a strident, off-tune voice, stuffing her fingers in her ears, to drown out Lachesis' voice. It wasn't anything she hadn't heard before. Dropping her hands, she assumed her favorite cutting pose with the shears. "Okay, here we go. One-two-and-three. There you are, you wretched soul! Hold still, hold still, or you'll suffer! _There!_"

As the thread finally snapped, all the fight went out of it, and it went limp. Slowly, it turned black, the color staining the colorful tapestry to which it had been attached, and started to shrivel, withering into dust.

"Nice work," said Clotho from the corner. "That was a beautiful life."

"Good soul," said Lachesis cheerfully. "I think he did practically everything we had on the list."

"All the challenges, all the tests, and I think we can truly say that he had an amazing life," said Atropos, eyeing the remnants of the bright tapestry before stepping daintily over the mess and making her way towards Clotho's spindle. "I'm glad you spun such a nice thread to match his, Clotho. Their colors suited them and each other beautifully."

Clotho, the eldest of them all, smiled back at Atropos dreamily. "It was one of the best," she agreed, her fingers busily working. "I loved the way we made them find each other, too. It made me smile even as it made me cry. Lachesis, would you mind measuring that thread?"

"On it," Lachesis replied, taking hold of the thread poking out from the spindle, and spanning it out with her rod. She gasped: "Oh, Clotho, this one's awful. What on earth did she do? Remind me. "

Clotho's face set in hard lines. "_She_ was a _he_ in another life, and I just can't talk about it. I just can't. It was too evil. This is the only way to make sure the soul can be saved."

After examining the thread further, Lachesis thought deeply, grimacing as she did so, as if it took her a great deal of effort. Suddenly, she snapped her fingers and said, "Oh, now I remember. Ugh, what a louse! Well, let's hope this one works."

"One of the many shots at redemption," said Atropos dryly, dropping her hand to Clotho's shoulder as if in comfort. Her eldest sister, despite her status as the spinner, often had difficulty in accepting the fates they dictated. Looking at the thread that had been spun, and the way Lachesis was measuring it, she shuddered.

They didn't have control over the entire fate of any soul. They could do their best to guide it, but in the end, that soul made its own choices, right or wrong, and it had to pay the price. She sighed again, thinking of the soul that had just been spun, and turned towards happier thoughts. As her mind wandered, she suddenly found the world whirling around her.

Clotho's spindle went wild. "It's an immortal!" they shrieked, rushing to the spindle.

The spindle had released the thread it had just spun, and was now pulling into the top of its shaft, the golden threads of one of the immortal tapestries. The thread spun out, as bright as dawn, as Clotho fought to control her spindle. Lachesis and Atropos helped her, knowing their unique talents were useless in this situation.

"It's Aphrodite," grunted Clotho, breathless in her efforts to control her machine, "her thread's become active. Lachesis, what do you see?"

But before Lachesis could answer, the spindle pulled yet another thread into its shaft, winding them both together. As they watched, the tapestries moved closer and closer as the winding threads were wound tighter and tighter into a strong thread. Lachesis and Atropos immediately moved to the tapestries, each one on one side, and wrestled them into place.

"Clotho," choked out Atropos, "we have to do it, it's too strong. Try your best."

"I'm trying, Attie," gritted out Clotho. "Lachesis, I need a bit more give on that thread on your side."

"I'm moving this one, too," said Atropos firmly. "It needs to happen for that plan to work, Clotho, and you know it."

"Who would have thought it?" said Lachesis, panting slightly with the effort to move and hold the tapestries. "Zeus above, Attie, can you see that?"

"Yes, I can," said her sister gleefully. "Oh, Clotho, it's brilliant. Here, Lachesis, move it a little more to the left, and – there you go."

"You need to move yours a little more down," noted Lachesis, "Attie, that's perfect. Clotho, how much more?"

"It's almost done," said Clotho, fiercely spinning the wheel, "come on, darlings, just a little more, and – there!"

As the spindle wheel stopped moving, the intertwined threads flashed a brilliant gold, and the moirae watched in awe as the tapestries fused together, the colors shining as the light struck them. As the tapestries expanded and moved together in the final step, tears came to their eyes, and they looked at each other.

"After all this time," said Clotho softly, looking at what they had created.

"He deserves it," added Lachesis, catching her sisters' hands in delight.

Atropos grinned. "Come on, let's freeze it before it can be changed. Oh, it's too good to be true."

As they joined hands and raised their faces to the waving tapestry, they chanted words as old as time itself. The sounds moved upward and into the cloth, and after one final movement, it froze.

Atropos cocked her head to one side. "You know, I hate to brag, but we just outdid ourselves. We're just too good at our job. I mean, look at this – when was the last time we created something so beautiful?"

"It's going to take time, though," said Clotho thoughtfully. "They still have a long way to go."

Lachesis snorted. "I'm glad to see we were finally able to do something. She makes me sick sometimes."

"Ah, but after she completes her journey, she will truly be what she purports to be," said Clotho, smiling. "Congratulations, girls! We did it!"

"Well, aren't we all having fun?" the sugary sweet voice interrupted their celebration, dampening their smiles as the moirae sent swift glances at each other and mentally groaned as they beheld the outraged goddess in their abode.

Aphrodite glided in with a hard expression on her face. "Let's talk about challenges, shall we?" she asked sweetly.

**Author's Notes: Thanks to wonderful Brecky for being my first reviewer! I also got a lot of hits from other countries. Let me know what y'all think of the story! I hope you liked the update! Until next time, R&R!**

**I also found an Aphrodite/Hephaestus story which, although not a part of this challenge (it was started way before), but am listing it anyway with the author's permission. It's funny and enjoyable, and you will enjoy it. The author is: **

Catherine Chen: "The Battle of the Heart Isn't Easily Won" found at: **.net/s/5780040/1/The_Battle_With_the_Heart_Isnt_Easily_Won**

**Enjoy,and see y'all next time.  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Greek Gods, but I do love playing with them :D. **

Chapter Three

It was a beautiful day to be outside, he thought, as he walked slowly along the beach trying not to jar his leg. The skies were a cloudless azure blue, and a light breeze stirred the air faintly. Far above he could hear the sounds of Apollo strumming his guitar, which probably accounted for the music he heard around him. The bees were busily humming the tune, and even the sea nymphs seemed to have taken it up because he could hear the melody in the shushing of the waves that broke over the white stretches of sand. He lifted his face up to the sun, reveling in its warmth and made his way into the water. As he closed his eyes, he felt the waves brushing his feet like the finest silk, his feet sinking into the warm sand.

Yes, it was a beautiful day.

"You're early today." The voice was low and melodious. He felt it flowing over him as sensuously as the waters winding sinuously around his legs.

He smiled and kept his eyes closed . "It's far too beautiful a day to sit inside, even for a hermit like me," he said.

"They'll be happy to know their plan succeeded."

At that his eyes opened, and he stared into the amused ocean-blue eyes of Thetis, the sea-nymph. He must have wandered in further than he had thought for she was perched on a rock a few feet behind him. He was knee-deep in the waters, and the waves were now gently lapping at the base of the rock.

He raised his eyebrows. "Plan?" he queried.

She smiled at him, and gestured for him to sit in the water. He obeyed, sinking down into the waters which solidified slightly to create a gentle cushion for him. She made her way to him, the waves receding with each step of her silver feet. Her hand gestured and his leg came up, the waves gently cushioning the injured foot. She reached towards it, and then shot him a sharp look as he made a shamed sound.

"Stop it," she said, as harshly as her soft voice would allow. "Don't pretend it's not hurting with me, young man. Who knows you better?" Ignoring his sullen look, she reached towards the foot again, and felt it. As if in answer to an unvoiced command, a small band of water rose up and wrapped itself around the foot. A moment later, Hephaestus gasped as it started glowing. Thetis put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Let it heal you, my dear," she said, her hand moving to stroke the side of his face lovingly. "As for the plan, it shouldn't surprise you to know that Apollo and Poseidon decided you needed a holiday."

"That was thoughtful of them," said Hephaestus, letting himself relax. Thetis was the only one with whom he didn't have to pretend. She did indeed know him. She knew him better than anyone save perhaps Eurynome and the Sintians. He trusted them as he trusted no one else, Thetis above all. It was, after all, she who had nursed him to health on this same island all those years before when Zeus had tossed him out of the sky to his death. Thetis had seen him falling and urged Poseidon to create waves that would catch him. The plan almost didn't succeed. As it was, Thetis reached him just as one foot had already touched the ground. But the sea had created a soft landing place for the rest of his body.

Thetis still felt bad about his lamed foot, but as he frequently reminded her, it was actually Zeus' fault. _She_ had saved him, she and Eurynome, the other sea-nymph who had been accompanying her. Together, the two of them had nursed the injured Olympian to health, but his foot had never fully recovered. It had healed only to a certain point, leaving Hephaestus permanently lame.

"I'm sorry, _mitera_," he said contritely, addressing her as his mother as he always did. She had earned the term in a way his biological mother never had. He ignored her reproving glance (Thetis believed he should forgive Hera her cruelty), and took her hand. "It's a knee-jerk reaction. I can't help feeling ashamed of my leg sometimes."

She rolled her eyes at him, but smiled. "Say 'won't,' not 'can't', little liar," she said affectionately. "There's nothing _you _can't do when you put your mind to it."

"I learned it from the best," Hephaestus replied, chuckling.

"You can't be a sea-nymph without understanding when to be strong and when to go with the flow," she said, grinning. It was one of her frequent sayings.

Hephaestus rolled his eyes; not only had he heard this saying (in all its variations) many times, but as usual, Thetis had rubbed in the fact that she was far more versatile with human slang than he was.

"Must you use those mortal expressions?" he quizzed her.

"Yes," she said severely. "Don't be an intellectual snob, Hephaestus. Besides, aren't you _tired_ of being quoted in classical language all the time? I am! I'm even more tired of the way the nereids are portrayed. One would think we didn't do anything else but sit around on the foam and waves, trying to lure Zeus or Dionysus to have a good time. That's the perception of a nymph. As for the statues, don't get me started! Can't they ever upgrade our fashion sense? Once upon a time, being depicted by a chiton was interesting, but they have so many more interesting clothes these days. Why can't they build statues of Athena wearing Prada? Or - "

"Weren't we talking about language?" asked Hephaestus mildly, interrupting Thetis' tirade. The waves were moving more turbulently in tune with the nymph's mood. "Besides, you're preaching to the reformed, my dear."

Thetis subsided. "True," she conceded grudgingly. "You're slightly better than the other Gods, after having lived with the Sintians. I know you even have mortal friends in the world, but you still have a long way to go, Hephaestus."

"What do you mean?" he asked, staring at her. "I'm one of the most contented Gods on the planet. What more could I possibly want?"

The moment the words were out, he wished he hadn't asked her. He had a shrewd notion he knew what her answer would be.

Thetis looked at him, this God who was as dear to her as her own son had been. She closed her eyes for a brief moment in grief. She had not been able to save him, her precious Achilles, despite all her efforts. He had slipped away from her like water cupped in the palm of her hand. She opened her eyes again and looked at the child she had adopted as her own. At least she had saved one.

"Love," she said gently. "You need love in your life."

Hephaestus stood up, waded through the waves to the shore, and looked back at the beautiful nereid. "I already have it, _mitera_," he said mockingly, "or have you forgotten that I am married to her? Is she not love?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WON'T TELL ME?" Aphrodite shrieked in rage.

The abode of the moirae had changed. The colorful tapestries had disappeared, waved away by Atropos the instant the infuriated Goddess had been spotted.

No one was allowed to know his or her fate, be it a mortal or an immortal. The penalties of disobedience were dire.

Clotho rolled her eyes as Aphrodite glared at her. "I'm not sure how much more clearly I can say it, Aphrodite," she said mildly, throwing a reproving glance at her sisters, who were stifling giggles. "The answer is no. In which language should I say it for you to understand?"

"Don't you patronize _me_, you little viper," Aphrodite bit out unthinkingly. Then she caught herself, clapping a hand to her mouth in dismay. But it was too late.

The moirae's smiles had died, and the grim expressions they now wore told Aphrodite she had gone too far.

"Vipers, are we?" the frost in Clotho's voice would have made an iceberg envious. Aphrodite shuddered and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said, conceding their power. No matter how much she or the other Gods railed against them, the fates held the balance of the world in their hands.

Clotho hadn't finished with the vain Goddess yet. Although generally considered the gentlest of her three sisters, Clotho was determined to pull Aphrodite down a peg or two. Perhaps even a ladder, now that she thought about it.

"No one is allowed to know their destiny, immortal," she said disdainfully, moving forward until she stood inches away from Aphrodite. "There are challenges that each soul must overcome, and until we have deemed you worthy, you cannot escape those tests."

"You immortals think you're _so_ superior, don't you?" Lachesis asked, her voice as hard as iron. She too, strode forward until she stood next to Clotho. Atropos followed her, strangely silent for once.

The strain of having the three fates stand so close to her was almost too great to bear for Aphrodite. The sheer weight of their presence was suffocating. They were using their powers to intimidate her into leaving, and it was working. She could feel the darkness stealing over her eyes, stealing her breath. She could feel herself sinking into the blackness. As consciousness left her, she heard a third voice say softly: "Change is necessary for growth, young Goddess. You have forsaken the gifts you were given. It is time for you to move on."

As they watched, Aphrodite's form slowly disappeared from their sight.

"That went well," said Lachesis, letting out a long sigh. "Thanks for banishing the equipment, Attie."

"Any time," said Atropos. "I'm telling you, we made a mistake, giving the immortals so much. Long life, powers, responsibility, and so far the only things they've accepted are the first two."

Lachesis smirked. "Well, we're still here, aren't we? They are still subject to our collective will."

"Thank heavens for small mercies," said Atropos darkly.

Lachesis groaned. "Why must you always use that expression?" she asked her sister. "It belongs to the _mortals_."

"But I love their languages," said Atropos earnestly. "I love mortals so much more than immortals. They're smart, and fun, and they're fast. If you teach them something, it usually sticks with them. It takes an immortal about a millennium to learn what the average human learns in one lifetime."

"They have a sense of humor, too," agreed Lachesis. "They can take anything and make it work to their advantage."

"So why do we give them such gruesome ends?" asked Atropos, linking hands with her middle sister.

"It's probably all that damage they do while they're trying to achieve something," said Lachesis hardly. "Have you seen all the species they've destroyed recently? It seems like there's something new every day. The scales have to balance, you know."

"I know," said Atropos. "There's always a trade-off, isn't there?"

"Clotho, you're being awfully quiet," said Lachesis suddenly. "What gives?"

Clotho smiled affectionately at her sisters. "Oh, I was just thinking about how I'm going to enjoy watching Madam Vanity scramble around in the next few months."

Atropos waited a beat. "That's just cruel, Clotho."

Her eldest sister grinned. "I know," she said wickedly.

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**Author's notes: So finally we get to introduce Hephaestus! There wasn't much about Aphrodite in this chapter, I know, but from this point the story will take off on the main premise. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you really loved it, let me know! See you next time. **

Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers:

qwertzuiop4: Thanks for your review, and I hope you like the update! Yes, the Moirae are very important in the story, and I like the way they've come out so far. They won't dominate the later chapters as much, but they themselves are subject to rules. Everything in the universe has to obey some law, even fate, but they have more control over theirs. As for the Gods, as you probably noticed (or not :D) in this chapter, they've always seemed like kids to me. They have so many gifts but they don't really do much with them other than play games. I'm trying to show that the immortals and the mortals have a journey, complete with challenges to overcome. Where they end up depends on the the path they chose. See you next time!

Fostersb: Thanks for your review! Yes, from my POV, Hephaestus does deserve a wife who will appreciate his considerable talents. I think you'll see why in the next chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except this story!**

Chapter 4

Aphrodite arose from the soft splendor of her bed to the sound of pleading in her ears. The habitually mellifluous sound gave her a sick feeling in her stomach. The nauseous sensation became worse as she recognized the owners of those sounds: her devotees, asking her for love.

Great, just what she needed - lovesick mortals whining and pleading with her to give them love. She sighed wearily and dragged herself to her mirror. One look into it had her yelping in distress and brought her handmaiden, Charis, running into the room. The latter stopped abruptly when she saw her divine mistress glaring at herself ferociously in the mirror,

"Look at me," Aphrodite exclaimed in anger. "I look dreadful! How am I supposed to go out among my worshippers looking as though I'd been walloped by -" she floundered.

"Fate?" asked Charis sweetly, unfazed by Aphrodite's glare now turned in her direction. She knew all about Aphrodite's unsuccessful attempt to find out her future. "I don't think it's that bad. Brushing your hair might do some good, don't you think?

Charis was one of the few goddesses on Olympus who was unafraid of Aphrodite's venom. It was one of the reasons that Aphrodite respected her. Beautiful in her own right, the young goddess of Grace was tall and lithe, with red hair that shone as brightly as newly minted copper. She was beloved by everyone, especially her husband (whose name always escaped Aphrodite, but who was definitely _not_ Hephaestus) and was extremely intelligent.

She served Aphrodite in the capacity of what mortals would call an executive assistant (an ugly phrase, in Aphrodite's opinion), and was the goddess's official liaison in the mortal world. In fact, all the imbecilic mortals who pretended that the Greek Gods didn't exist did not knew that Charis had developed and designed her own fashion line which was extremely made the Olympians laugh to see the mortals falling over themselves to buy Charis' clothes and perfumes. In fact, in material terms, Charis was the second-wealthiest god in Olympus. The only god wealthier than she was Hephaestus. Aphrodite's face soured even more as she thought about her husband.

Seeing the expression on her face, Charis made haste to intervene. She knew that look all too well, and it boded ill for the devotees even now awaiting the arrival of the goddess of Love. In a good mood, Aphrodite would weigh her judgments, and grant the wishes of her devotees based on their needs and the fate line of love that would be shown only to her and Eros. Eros and Aphrodite worked together, and although they often fought as to whether the mortal in question would get his or her wish, they acceded to listen to the opposing side's argument as well. It was one reason why Aphrodite found it so hard to forgive her son marrying Psyche. He'd never even _asked_ her about it, he'd just gone ahead and fallen in love with the annoying girl.

But an infuriated Aphrodite was utterly unreasonable, and rather than listening to her devotees, she would make her own judgments completely at random. Those times were extremely rare – contrary to expectations, Aphrodite took her role very seriously – but those few occasions had been enough to engender a very healthy respect for the goddess' famed temper. Today, Eros wasn't there to help control the situation either. Psyche had woken up feeling ill and it had sent her husband into an absolute panic. It was up to Charis to save the day. This was not promising.

"Your hair truly is like sunlight," she said , letting a wistful note slip into her voice. Not for anything would she have changed her red-gold locks, but complimenting Aphrodite was the surest way to cajoling her into anything. "At this rate, Apollo's going to have competition! How _do _you always manage to look so gorgeous?"

Aphrodite preened in front of the mirror, and decided, in light of Charis' compliment, to keep her blonde locks for that day. After all, she'd barely been able to enjoy her looks the other day, thanks to the machinations of those thrice-bedratted Fates. Her expression clouded with even more rage this time. Without paying to Charis' dismayed expression, she swept out of her rooms toward her temple in high dudgeon.

How dare they? She fumed silently, not even noticing Charis' desperate attempts to regain and divert her attention. Those dratted little girls daring to challenge _her_! She was a goddess, dammit. She was owed _respect_!

"Aphrodite!" called Charis, darting after her. "Stop! You can't go to your temple in this way. You know what will happen! Stop, will you?" Taking her life into her hands, she shoved her way into her mistress's path and pushed the latter back. "Listen to me, Aphrodite," she said sternly, "I don't know what the fates have in store for you. But you know, and I know that those poor mortals in your temple deserve better than this. They have been praying for years and-"

"Years?" asked Aphrodite in an icy tone. "Are you lecturing me about _years_, Charis? Have you forgotten that time means _nothing_ to an immortal, you saucy baggage? I am Aphrodite, goddess of love! What makes those fools whining away worthy of it?"

Charis' eyes flashed and she caught Aphrodite's arm. "Be careful, mistress," she said steadily. "You're treading very close to a line you don't want to cross. Don't forget that the fates already punished you the last time you crossed that line!"

"How could I forget?" flashed Aphrodite. She would have continued, but Charis warned her back.

"The last time you dealt with your devotees unfairly, Aphrodite," said Charis, her eyes boring into Aphrodite's, "the moirae warned you that it would be the last time you would be considered worthy of your post."

That brought Aphrodite up short. She _had_ forgotten that. Blast those wretched girls. She felt like bursting into tears.

"Very well," she said, with icy dignity. "I will do my work. If you will excuse me, I have some souls to judge."

Collecting herself, she tugged her arm from Charis' hold and went towards her temple, determined to do her best.

"Oh help," thought Charis in dismay, having no faith in Aphrodite's acquiescence. "I don't even have time to warn those poor souls in there. Why is she in such a tizzy? Usually, she's so easy to – oh no, the challenge. She went to the fates yesterday! Oh dear, what should I do, I wonder?"

But she knew there was no way to save the innocent souls waiting in that doomed temple. Unless … Charis jerked to a halt, thinking quickly. Could she do it? Another moment later, she shook her head resolutely and darted towards the gates of Olympus. There was only one other person who could stop Aphrodite's tirades.

XXXXXXXXX

There was little that Hephaestus loved more than his laboratory. It was his domain, his place of power, and it had been crafted in a way that would have made any mortal architect weep with envy should they have been invited to see it. Although it began as a tiny smithy, in a hollowed-out part of the volcano which Hephaestus called home, the room had been carefully expanded and constructed over the millennia. Hephaestus had done every bit of the work personally, from the intricate carvings on the paper-thin walls to the magnificent floor which held every piece of work that he had ever done.

The thin walls were covered in beautiful carvings depicting images that Hephaestus had been attracted to in each age. One wall depicted the restless movement of the sea during a storm: one could almost feel the water spray over one's face; another wall depicted lovers embracing, their limbs entwined, their eyes filled with love, leaning towards each other. They could open out from the room, creating more space or move inward. The floor of the room was decorated in intricate dotted patterns. The patterns did not repeat themselves, and each dot represented one of Hephaestus' works compressed and stored in the floor. When he wanted to review a particular project, he simply lifted the dot out of the floor and expanded it to its proper size. The size of each dot depicted the size of the project. The largest dots generally represented new projects that the god had started and had not yet finished experimenting upon.

The ceiling, on the other hand, was absolutely transparent. Since no mortal eyes could see his abode, he had left the skies open. He loved seeing the blue skies or even the grey, stormy skies with rain crashing about his ears. If it became too dark while he was working, he turned on the tiny lights he had inserted into the transparent cover (any entrepreneur would have given his or her left arm to know the inventor had done so) which shone like stars until he turned them off.

His latest project displayed in the center of the room, Hephaestus hummed happily as he worked. Every few hours, he would take a step back and look at it proudly, thinking: "This is going to be the best one yet!" All his latest projects were his favorites. He was at heart a perpetual inventor, constantly innovating. Hermes handled his sales and forays into business in the mortal world. Hephaestus had too often been taken for a ride by several mortals, the most notable being the man who had introduced nuclear energy to the mortals before it was ready to be released. After that fiasco, Hephaestus had left the sales end to Hermes and the marketing end to Apollo (who loved to advertise). He always kept abreast with what was happening but was quite happy not to be in constant control.

His idyll was interrupted by the sound of Charis' anxious voice. He looked up immediately, alert and watchful. The beautiful goddess looked desperate, and she was soaked in Olympian mist. Obviously, she hadn't bothered to dry herself off in Apollo's rays. That alone told him a lot.

"You have to come quickly!" she burst out as soon he had opened the doors. "There are worshippers in the temple, and she's in a terrible state!"

There was no need to tell him who _she_ was. Hephaestus knew his wife's tantrums all too well. Acknowledging Charis' state, he activated one of the buttons on the remote control-like object he wore on his belt. One of the dots near the entrance started glowing and manifested into what looked like a pair of winged sandals. Despite her preoccupation, Charis looked at them in disbelief.

"Yes, they're Hermes' new sandals." Hephaestus grinned at Charis' befuddled expression. "I finished them two days ago. I'll test-drive them for him first. They're the fastest mode of transportation in all the worlds, at the moment. But never mind all that. Tell me what's set her off so badly this time – on the way."

They both ran outside and Hephaestus caught the young goddess up in his arms, taking the swiftest air currents towards Mount Olympus as Charis told him about Aphrodite's confrontation with the moirae.

XXXXXXXXX

Aphrodite was finding it very hard to keep her calm about her as she listened to her devotees. Despite Charis' disbelief, she was trying to be impartial and distribute her judgments. So far, she had only granted two wishes, and she had thousands more to go. If only Eros was here, she thought wearily, trying to listen. Why do I have to do this by myself? My head feels as though it's about to explode, and I don't even have the comfort of giving birth to Athena.

"Please," said the man in front of her, "let her love me, Goddess. I know I can give her whatever she wants. I will cherish her as she would wish to be cherished. I will love her from now until the day we die. Please give her to me."

Give her to him, indeed. Did the man think she was so devoid of intelligence? Why did men just assume that women would be given to them as if they were objects. Why couldn't they understand anything? The women were equally as bad.

"I want to love him," a young woman was thinking. "He's so wonderful and kind, why don't I love him? Why do I love this other man instead? He's not half as nice. Why do I always fall for the men who don't want me?"

Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "You are not worthy!" she said to the young woman. "Go away and learn your lesson. You are not worthy of such a gift! As for you-" she turned to the man, but before she could curse him, too, she was shocked by the touch of a hand on her arm.

"I think you've had enough for today, my dear," said a grave voice from beside her. Shocked out of her wits, she turned and looked at her husband, Hephaestus.

Thank you fates, for adding the crowning touch to a bad day, she thought sourly, glaring at her husband. No matter, she would remain calm.

"Hephaestus," she said, trying to keep her voice even. "I'm busy and am not to be disturbed. If you wish to see me, please make an appointment with Charis."

Her husband merely lifted an eyebrow. "I don't need an appointment when I'm already here," he pointed out logically. "You look quite ill, Aphrodite, and you're not able to work, otherwise I wouldn't be here."

"Don't tell me you were actually concerned, Hephaestus," replied Aphrodite in a soft and poisonous tone, watching as the liquid notes in her voice had their inevitable effect. "How quaint, it must surely have been an age or two at the very least."

Out of the corner of his eye, Hephaestus saw Charis ushering away all the devotees from the temple, noting down their requests. His job was to keep his wife occupied by directing all her rage and venom towards him. It was a fail-safe technique that Charis and he had developed over the millennia to save Aphrodite from the consequences of her losing her temper with her devotees.

"Yes," he agreed, trying to keep his voice even. "I thought you would be flattered by my attention, my dear. Now don't disappoint me. Am I, perhaps, in your way?"

"You've been in my way since the day Zeus decided to give me to you," she replied, her lip curling into a malicious sneer. She watched his eyes flash briefly, and prepared to enjoy herself. "What a pity Hera didn't actually succeed when she threw you off Mount Olympus."

"That's all right," said Hephaestus affably, though he was far from feeling it. He could feel the deadly hurt seeping into him, the pain that never seemed to fade completely, clouding his memory. Why did he care about this goddess, he wondered. Why did he care that she should not lose the job she so little deserved – a job that she didn't know anything about.

He didn't know why, he just knew he did care. He also knew that her job was the only thing that kept Aphrodite completely from going over the edge. She could be meanhearted, but she was also one of the most generous and open-hearted goddesses in the world. She had been down the last few days, and Charis had told him why. He knew his wife hated feeling out of control, and Zeus help him, he wanted to help her through her pain.

"I know about what you're going through, dearest," he said to her softly now, throwing Aphrodite completely off her stride.

"No, you don't," said Aphrodite passionately, pushing herself off her throne-like chair and pacing around her temple. She often used the olden-day ambience to make her feel centered. Her actual headquarters had been upgraded to resemble modern day offices, but this ambience gave her comfort.

She paced while Hephaestus watched her quietly. "You don't know anything," she told him fiercely.

"Then why don't you tell me?" suggested Hephaestus, pulling a chair from out of nowhere and seating himself on it.

"I hate you," she said, the words reverberating in the air around them. Hephaestus was silent, and in no way did he show any reaction to her statement. "I loathe you, and I despise you, and I wish you had never been born!"

"This isn't anything you haven't told me before," said Hephaestus in a mild tone that he knew would only provoke her.

"Every time the fates challenge me, I have to change," said Aphrodite, her voice low. She had stopped pacing and was standing in front of her throne, staring at Hephaestus. "I have to change in a way that I hate. The first time was because Zeus decided to give me to you."

She snorted derisively. "Of course, you were thrilled," she said, her voice angry, resentful, and full of disgust, "you had the goddess of love as your wife. How do you think I felt?"

"Trapped, I imagine," interrupted Hephaestus, rising to stand in front of his wife. "Trapped with no way out. You felt suffocated, as if all the ambrosia in the world was choking you. There was no air left to breathe because the horror of it struck you. After all, unlike mortals, we cannot divorce each other, can we?"

Aphrodite stared at him in surprise. "How – how -" she faltered and came to a halt.

Hephaestus lip curled into a humorless smile. "That is what I have always felt from you, my dear," he said simply. Aphrodite had no reply. "I have felt it to such a great degree, that I began to feel that suffocation myself. Is that not why we live apart?"

"Is that why?" she asked him, her own eyebrows rising. "I thought it was because you hated all my lovers. Lovers who are truly men!"

"That too," said Hephaestus agreeably. "After all, what's the use in loving someone who quite clearly hates the air you breathe?"

It was a lie, of course, but not one that she would recognize. The truth was Hephaestus had been in love with his wife from the day he first met her. But he would never reveal it to her again.

He too had suffered.

"Let's cut this short," he said, noticing that Charis had now finished with the devotees and was heading back towards them. His wife halted in front of him. "To summarize, my dear, you never wanted to marry me, and have succeeded in making me aware of that salient fact. In fact, it should give you great happiness to know that I have, for many years, no longer wished to be your husband. If you wish to petition Zeus, you may do so."

Even if it meant cutting out his heart, he would do so. Anything to give her what she wanted. He was willing to do even that.

"Did you ever truly love me?" Aphrodite asked him contemptuously. "Or did you just lust after my beauty like everyone else?"

"Do you even know what love is, Aphrodite?" asked Hephaestus in surprise. "I thought you knew only about lust."

"Of course I know what it is, you imbecile," said Aphrodite, laughing at the very idea. "I am the goddess of love, aren't I?"

"No, that's not what I'm asking," said Hephaestus, eyeing her. "You know what lust is, certainly, and you seem to recognize infatuation when you see it. But do you know what love is?"

"I don't need a lecture from you, Hephaestus," said Aphrodite dismissively. "I will see you at the next family reunion. Until then, please don't impinge on my – how do those mortals put it – personal space. I don't think you have any idea what love is, so don't presume to lecture to me. I am _the_ authority on love."

"Of course, authority figures are to be trusted without questioning," said Hephaestus, tongue-in-cheek. "You seem to confuse love with infatuation quite often in your judgments, that's why I'm asking."

"And I suppose you mean to tell me you're in love with me," said Aphrodite mockingly.

Hephaestus did not rise to her bait. Instead, he eyed his wife consideringly, and after a while she began to look slightly concerned. "To see you is to love you, my dear," he told her quietly. "You are, after all, the goddess of love."

But before Aphrodite could take any comfort from those words. "But you're missing a part of the picture. To love someone, you also have to respect them, and you have to like them. You should have asked me whether I like you or respect you. Then you would have received an answer to your question."

"Consider it asked then," said Aphrodite coolly. "What is your answer, Hephaestus? Do you love me?"

"No," said Hephaestus steadily. "But I neither respect you nor like you, Aphrodite. Your cruelty and mean-hearted behavior have always driven away what your beauty attracted. Love is generous, and love is kind. You are neither. It seems ironic that you are the goddess of love, yet you have no understanding of the gift you give others. I hope, for your sake, you learn to see past yourself one day."

Furious beyond words, Aphrodite stood up, and faced her husband. "Get out!" she spat, outraged. "Don't dare to come here again, Hephaestus. You are _nothing_! _Nobody _wants you! You are _worthless!_ Not even your mother wanted you! Why would I care for your opinion?"

"Save your breath," said Hephaestus quietly. "I already know everything you just told me."

He picked up his sandals and made his way towards the door where Charis stood, her beautiful eyes big with tears. He patted her hand understandingly and exited through the doors, leaving Aphrodite standing with shock and fury etched in her eyes.

"You vain and frivolous goddess," said Charis, keeping her voice low. Her fury was enough to match Aphrodite's at that moment.

"Leave me, Charis," commanded Aphrodite. "I have no wish to see you! I know it was you who brought Hephaestus here."

"Yes, I brought him here!" cried Charis. "I brought him here to distract you and he came so that he could help you! You, who deserves no aid nor help, whatsoever!"

Aphrodite's own fury was dissipating in the wake of Charis' outrage. But the latter hadn't finished.

"You don't deserve someone like Hephaestus," said Charis, her finger pointing at Aphrodite like a malediction. "You don't deserve someone so good or so kind! I only wish that he didn't have to be married to someone like you!"

"Then we both wish the same thing!" thundered Aphrodite. "Get out! And don't come here again!"

"Don't worry, I will never come near you again," said Charis, wiping her tears away. "You couldn't pay me enough to sit near your foolishness again. I hope the fates truly do challenge your vanity and foolishness! It would do you a world of good! It would only benefit everyone if you were deprived of your beauty! Without it, _you_ are worthless. You have nothing without your looks! Not even Ares would touch you!"

With that, she ran out of the door, leaving a stunned Aphrodite behind.

XXXXXXXX

_Well!_ To say Aphrodite was shocked was to put it mildly. She was staggered. What had come over Charis? How could she have spoken to her – Aphrodite – in such a manner?

Feeling weak, Aphrodite sat down at her throne and began to take stock of everything that had happened. A feeling of dismay crept over her as she thought of Hephaestus' criticism of her work. Of course she knew what love was. Didn't she? Was she not the divine personification of love?

Yet...

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she didn't understand what it was that drove people - mortals and immortals alike to search for it.

She didn't know what love was – not the kind that lasted. Not the kind that drove Psyche to impossible feats of humility in the hope that Eros would be restored to her. Not the kind that Charis had for her husband.

_She didn't know what love was! _The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that she didn't know what it was, and that was unacceptable. Humans begged her for it, and having found it, thanked her for it. Yet, _she_, the divine personification of the concept, had no idea of its meaning. She was going to have to remedy the situation, which was urgent enough to call for immediate attention.

She would find out what it was. She would take charge of her birthright and no one would challenge her about her duties again.

Aphrodite was going on a quest for love...

**A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you liked the new chapter! Aphrodite's finally setting out on her quest! Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I love reading and finding your opinions! It gives me new avenues to explore!**

Someone else **wrote that since Aphrodite was responsible for starting the Trojan War, Thetis wouldn't want to encourage Hephaestus' and Aphrodite's relationship. I'll address it in the next chapter! That's a great point. **

Brecky **wrote that the moirae are like a Greek Chorus. Thank you! I love Choruses! They rock!**

**Fostersb**: **I hope you liked the interaction between Hephaestus and Aphrodite! Thanks for all your reviews!**

**Here's the list of new people who have decided to take up this challenge: **

**IrishDiamond: **


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: As always, I don't own anything except this plot. **

Chapter 5

As she wended her way back home, her head awhirl, and with a sick feeling in her heart, Aphrodite tried not to notice the stares she was receiving from the other gods who just _happened_ to pass her by. She was taken aback by the subtle accusations and malice she glimpsed in their eyes. When she entered her palatial abode, she sighed in relief, and sought out her bed, closing her eyes in an effort to sleep, but it would not come. Instead, the scene that afternoon played in her mind, making her cringe and hide her face in her pillow. Hephaestus' words came back to her and she winced again. He always knew, she thought with a wry smile, he always knew exactly his enemy's most vulnerable spot. Of course, she knew his, too, and she hated herself for all the things she'd said.

She lay there, staring at the lacy canopy above her bed, and let the memories wash over her.

_The waves were warm and seemed to carry her with tender hands towards the shoreline that stretched ahead of her in a line of gold. She was surrounded the sounds of tender laughter and joyful voices. Sleepily, she murmured to them, lulled by the gentle rolling motion of the water. As she drifted closer and closer to the shore, she could hear a warm, lovely voice calling to her to awaken ... to awaken and embrace the world._

_The warm welcome she'd received from the Olympians - Zeus had been so proud! "That's my daughter," he told everyone, "my Aphrodite!" Not even Hera, inclined to bristle at yet another of her husband's illegitimate creations, had been able to resist Aphrodite's warm and loving embrace and the effervescent laughter that seemed to follow her. Everyone had been so _

_enchanted by her. _

_She didn't know when everything started to sour just a little. But it came to a climax when Zeus discovered that the male gods were fighting over his daughter's favors far too much for even his liking. Certainly he hadn't been pleased to discover warlike Ares exchanging his sword for a beautiful bouquet of flowers he had hunted out especially for Aphrodite. It had _

_displeased Hermes so much (he had been on a mission, and felt that Ares had stolen the flowers that he had rightfully claimed to give to Aphrodite) that the silver-tongued messenger had lost his temper and provoked the war-god. It was a good thing Athena and Artemis had been there to stop the incident from escalating. Unfortunately, it had come to Zeus' ears, and he had scolded Aphrodite quite harshly. _

_She had been taken aback. Of course, she enjoyed flowers, but what in the world was the point of fighting over them? And why did Zeus blame her? It wasn't her fault that Ares and Hermes had been so juvenile as to fight over something so trivial. She loved all things equally. How could something be more beautiful than another? There was beauty in all things, after all. You just had to look in the right place to find it. _

Centuries later, Aphrodite lay in her bed and smiled grimly at her own naïveté. How innocent she had been then, she thought, looking back. Although she had been born as a fully developed immortal, her inexperience had made it very hard for her. Willing to believe the best about everyone. She had loved all things equally, and she had never thought of the male gods who flocked around her in any special light. She had been just a young girl

trying out her wings, feeling her way through life.

Yet, none of the other gods had seen her that way. They'd never given her time to grow, to experience. They'd seen her adult form, and they'd expected her to act like a grown immortal right away. She'd struggled under the weight of the responsibilities they'd heaped on her - teach humans about love, they said, you're the perfect person - and she'd done it. She had

given freely of herself to all her devotees, and she'd found herself yearning for that elusive, all-inclusive concept of love. She'd hungered for it, lain awake thinking about it, composed beautiful poetry about it.

She had rewarded poets and bards who had spoken about it, hoping to learn from them. She had rejoiced in their stories, and the triumph of love over war. She had extolled the virtues of beauty because it seemed the embodiment of love. It had made her shine in all her avatars. Love was what people wanted, and love was what they would receive.

She had never really thought about finding a mate of her own (after all, when the gods had been paying homage to your beauty for years, it never struck you that one or two might be serious). All she knew was that one day, after seeing the gifts she had given all her worshippers bear fruit, she had been conscious of yearning after that elusive concept of love

herself. She had thought she had found it with Ares. Fiery, provocative, bold Ares, who enchanted her with the romantic side he had shown only to her. She was attracted to his confident air, the fiery rages for which he was famed (it was so fun to get him wound up!). He was fire, and she the moth, attracted to his flame.

When she thought about it dispassionately, it had been nothing more than an infatuation, but it had seemed so beautiful, so wonderful. It was as if the world had opened new vistas and rainbow-lit paths in front of her. Ares and Aphrodite, she had dreamed, living together in blissful splendor, unlike the rest of the gods. They would be happy, she had thought: he would come home and put aside his ornate helm, and take her in his arms every night. She would fill his war-torn life with all the roses and glamor it was lacking.

The young Aphrodite had spent hours drawing and chiseling her lover's image, linking their names together, writing poetry and songs. The older Aphrodite smiled softly as she remembered her diary, filled with her eager descriptions of all the places to which Ares had taken her. It had seemed so magical, so special, it had seemed to her that this surely must be love.

Perhaps the passion would have waned in due time, she thought, as it had ow. Ares would have drifted back to his mischief-making, his own pursuits. They were both too alike to be together forever. If the other gods hadn't taken it so seriously they have drifted apart sooner. Instead, Hera had taken the matter to Zeus and asked him to stop Aphrodite from making

such a big mistake. Zeus, terrified of losing his best warrior, had chastised Aphrodite harshly, and had forbidden Ares to have anything to do with his daughter. Artemis had shaken her head at Aphrodite's folly. Even Poseidon had ascended from his briny kingdom and taken Zeus to task. In fact, when one considered the matter, all of them had collectively driven the two headstrong and high-spirited gods into each other's arms.

Then, Hephaestus came into the picture. She remembered it vividly.

_"What do you mean, Hera's stuck to the throne?"_

_"She can't leave it. We've tried everything."_

_"Oh boy, I don't want to be around when she's free!"_

_"Don't worry, it apparently won't be for a long time! Look at her, she's fuming!"_

_"Lord Zeus is on his way."_

_They had sent couriers and messengers far and wide to find someone who could free the mother Goddess. It wasn't until one day that they'd found the smith responsible. _

_"Her son!" *Zeus couldn't have been more astonished than if Hera had suddenly given birth right in his arms. "What on earth are you talking about, Hermes? Hera has no son that I know of."_

_"I do not know, my lord," said Hermes, looking profoundly weary and troubled. "I spoke to the smith myself. Indeed, he bears a likeness to the Lady Hera. He said would not release such a cruel woman from the cage. As she tried to imprison others, he said, so would she be imprisoned "_

_"Well, why didn't you bring him to me?" demanded Zeus, his face ruddy with rage. "Have you lost your senses? And what the devil does he mean, 'cruel?' By Olympus, I will not have our immortal selves so mocked by a lowly smith. Bring him to me at once!"_

"_I tried, my lord, but to no avail," protested Hermes. "The smith refused to leave, and I could not make him do so. He possessed weapons, the likes of which even Ares does not possess."_

_Zeus stroked his beard (he always sprouted one when he believed he needed to look wise and benevolent), looked up at Hermes and said: "I need to go and see Hera about this."_

_Hera had confirmed the story with great reluctance to her disbelieving husband, confessing the revulsion she had felt when she had seen her scrawny, red-faced son and her treatment of him thereafter. _

_Of course, Aphrodite hadn't seen her sire's expression when Hera had confessed her sins, but she was told later that it had been priceless. _

"_A reward to the immortal who will free the Lady Hera from her throne, and bring this smith to me," he had roared when he had finally regained his voice. _

_They had all tried, except for Aphrodite, who was waiting for Ares to take her to Cyprus, another supposed site of her birth. She had been feeling quite restless for weeks, but she couldn't understand why she felt that way. He had promised it would be very romantic and she had dressed up for it with stars in her eyes. She had put on her most beautiful chiton and _

_decorated her hair with the flowers he had brought her the previous day (he always brought her flowers). Perhaps he would even propose, she had thought, hugging herself at the thought and doing a dance around the room. _

_Instead, they had all been called together urgently because Dionysus had brought the smith along to free Hera. Ducking behind Apollo's tall frame, she eyed the being who limped along curiously. He was undoubtedly a god, for she could see the faintly glowing aura about him. His frame seemed too thin for the muscles that bunched his arms and legs. His face, too, was thin and red (that explained why Dionysus had succeeded, he'd gotten the boy drunk!), _

_his grey eyes were slightly out of focus. She couldn't help smiling - this young, scrawny boy was the cause of such a tremendous upheaval on Mount Olympus. A formidable enemy, indeed! _

_She could hear murmurs from the other gods: "This is the fool who says he is Hera's son?" she could hear Apollo say in disbelief. _

_"A cripple," said Artemis, rather disdainfully. she tossed her red-gold cloud of hair back and added: "One can understand why Lady Hera didn't want to acknowledge him. Ugly and a cripple to boot!"_

_Aphrodite wondered if the boy could hear the whispers around him and her heart went out to him. How horrible, she thought, to be wounded, unwanted, and on top of everything else, to be ridiculed. Yet, she did not think he was ugly. True, he did look scrawny and underfed, but the boy seemed to possess an inherent strength and dignity that did not characterize the other gods. He was still a boy who was growing up, she thought, and he would grow into his frame. Then that strength that was flowing off him now would truly emerge. It would be interesting to see how he developed. _

_In the distance, she saw Ares and caught his eye shyly. He smiled back at her mischievously, his eyes lighting up. She forgot completely about the smith as she surreptitiously made her way to him. _

_Ares took her hand, and pressed something into it. She glanced it and smiled. More flowers. How thoughtful he was, she thought. Whenever he came to meet her he always tried to bring her something he thought she would love. It was just one reason why she loved this immortal. She smiled back at him sweetly, mischievously, not noticing that the smith, who had come to a stop in front of Zeus, had turned and was watching them both closely. _

Aphrodite was suddenly jerked awake by a hand pulling on her shoulder. She looked up to see Eros's incredulous, angry face, and mentally sighed, preparing herself for another rant.

"Just what did you think you were doing, mother?" he growled at her.

Aphrodite tore herself away from the memories and assumed her placid expression, and shrugged flippantly.

"What do you think?" she asked archly. "Why weren't you there, _dearest_, I missed you." She simpered and climbed off her sumptuous bed, strolling lazily towards her son. He held off her hug with a threatening expression.

"Don't, mother," he said harshly, and Aphrodite let her smile drop. "I heard about everything that went on today, and I'm disgusted."

"Are you now?" queried Aphrodite softly and dangerously.

Eros heard the impending threat, but ignored it. He eyed his mother with revulsion, then threw up his hands. "I don't know why I bother," he said bitterly, "you obviously don't understand. Then again, you never have, have you?"

"Perhaps if you explain it to me, then I will," said Aphrodite silkily, keeping her expression in place. If there was one thing she had learned in all these millennia, it was never to let another Olympian know your feelings. They would use it to destroy you.

"You're not to judge anymore," said Eros abruptly, and Aphrodite looked at him in shock. "The moirae have judged you unworthy of the post, and have told me to pursue it. You need not come to your _temple_ tomorrow."

Aphrodite looked at him speechlessly, and he grimaced.

"You brought this on yourself," he muttered harshly at last. He turned and stalked out of the door.

Alone, the demoted goddess looked at the door.

No longer worthy, she thought. She had been judged unworthy of her post. Despite all her efforts, it had finally come to pass. She had lost the final strand that had held her together. When things had been at their worst, she had always been able to soothe herself with the songs of her devotees, and had taken happiness in their joys. She had tried her best.

She had tried her best, she told herself, as she started shivering. She felt as though everything inside her was tearing apart. Her heart was breaking – she could feel it splinter and crack as she had felt it only once before. Her breathing was harsh and intermittent. She could hear the sounds which emanated from her throat – raw, hoarse sounds of pain.

She had lost everything.

_Hephaestus released Hera from her throne, ignoring her militant glare. Zeus had turned to the other gods and declared: "I have come to a decision. Hephaestus will now be one of us – an Olympian God! In addition, I have learned that he wishes for a mate, and I believe I have found the perfect one for him!"_

_Then the father of the Gods turned and pointed towards where Aphrodite and Ares stood standing. "Hephaestus," he had said, his voice loud and clear, "I present to you now, my daughter, Aphrodite, the loveliest of us all – she will be your wife." _

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I uploaded this chapter before I went on vacation, but sadly, it didn't upload properly. I hope you liked it! I always look forward to hearing your thoughts. I love hearing about your viewpoint. This chapter presents a little of Aphrodite's own history. She really isn't having a good time, is she? In some ways, I look at her as someone who was still growing up when she got married. Not having a choice in deciding whom she would marry put her in a flame as it would most people. But despite her vain and selfish demeanor, there's still someone there who's trying to do her best. I've noticed (of course, you are welcome to disagree with me) that people who are immensely beautiful, although always viewed desirable, are nearly always praised and judged for their beauty alone. That is what I believe of Aphrodite. She was so immensely beautiful and lovable that no-one bothered teaching** **anything about her job. They just assumed she could do it. **

**As always, thank you to all my wonderful reviewers! **

**panda-san: yes, it's definitely time Aphrodite was knocked down a few pegs. Surface beauty will only take you so far. This is exactly the Fates' point, too :D**

**Cat: Absolutely! Hephaestus is always underestimated as a god, in my opinion! He's an inventor and an artist in his own right. As you can see, Mars himself would have envied some of the gadgets that Hephaestus made!**

**Leanne: I loved your response! I'm glad you like my Hephaestus, too. He's smart and kind, but then again, he wasn't always that way. I always envisioned him as a very young adolescent when he married Aphrodite. With her resentment and his own inexperience with relationships, I'm sure they had a really rocky start which only became worse. He won't marry Agalia in this story, but I'm glad you like it. I hope you liked this chapter, too!**

**Fostersb: Yes, Hephaestus is in pain! But so is Aphrodite, she's just been wearing a flippant and frivolous mask for so long, she's finding it hard to let go. She's taken some hard knocks, but she will recover and, I hope, you will start rooting for them both individually as well. I hope you liked this chapter!**

**Brecky: I know, isn't it? I had no idea I would like Hephaestus so much before starting this story, either! I just saw your chapter 31, too, and am waiting to read it! R&R pal!**

**Dinosaurus: She really does bring out the acid, doesn't she? Well, she's started receiving her own back! It's time she grew up, in my opinion!  
**

**Until next time, folks! Have a terrific week!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Same as previous chapters. **

Chapter 6

Nobody wanted to touch it. The light from the tables fell across it, making it glisten and gleam softly where it lay. It was the most beautiful thing they had ever seen. There were words embedded in it. They all looked at Eris, who simply lifted a brow at them, as if daring them to pick it up.

"it was unwise to leave her off the guest-list," thought Hera, vexed with Eris' entry into Peleus and Thetis' wedding. But what to do? She causes discord one way or the other."

Athena was mentally echoing her step-mother's thoughts. Her grey eyes surveyed the object where it lay, its soft, golden hue enticing her towards it.

Hermes darted towards it, and picked up the object. "It is an apple," he announced, turning it over, and reading the words inscribed in it. The inscription says …" his face suddenly blanked out, "_To The Fairest_"

"How kind of Eris," said Aphrodite delightedly. "I never expected her to bring _me_ a gift, especially when it is Thetis' wedding!"

Athena didn't know what devil it was that prompted her to say, "It's not addressed to you, Aphrodite."

Silence reigned in the hall.

Everyone, including Aphrodite, looked at Athena in surprise.

Athena held her ground, keeping her expression mild, and met Aphrodite's eyes with her own. "It says, '_To The Fairest_,'" she clarified. "It does not say, "To Aphrodite, the Fairest. How do you know it refers to you?"

"Whom do_ you_ think it refers to_, Athena_?" asked Aphrodite, surprised at having her claim challenged.

"It could refer to any of us," said Athena calmly. "Are we not all fair?"

"It _does not_ say, '_to the** Fair**_', Athena," said Aphrodite. All the other gods were slowly backing away. "_It says_, '_to the Fair**est**'"_

"Are you saying _that you_ are the fairest of us all, Aphrodite?" asked Athena.

Aphrodite paused warily. She knew she had to be careful in her answer; if she bragged, the other female goddesses would hate her. "Well, after all, _I am_ the goddess of beauty," she said finally.

"Only because all of the other responsibilities had already been assumed." Athena didn't know why she was suddenly being aggressive. All she knew was that she couldn't stomach more of Aphrodite's amused, carelessly assumed compliments. In that moment, she felt as if she hated Aphrodite. "All of us already had our duties assigned to us, and so could not assume another."

"What are you implying, Athena?" asked Aphrodite, her voice and eyes murderous.

"I believe she is saying that the apple could be referring to any of us, Aphrodite," said Hera, finally. "I too, consider myself the fairest. I am, after all, the Queen of the Olympian Gods. Is that not so? How could it not refer to me?"

"It could very well refer to Thetis," said Athena. "Not that I do not want the apple, for I too consider my claims upon it quite as equal as either of yours. But since it _is_ her wedding-day, one might be forgiven for thinking it might refer to her."

Aphrodite transferred her glare to the silver-footed goddess who looked quite alarmed. "No, no," she said hastily, clutching her husband, Peleus' arm. "I do not consider myself the fairest. I am cast quite in the shade. I could not possibly take the apple."

Having relinquished her claim, Thetis subsided and pinched Peleus' arm. Peleus took the hint and addressed Zeus: "My lord Zeus, with your gracious permission, my wife and I will take our leave."

Zeus had wisely decided to remain silent. His eyes had been on the two combatants, but as his wife-consort entered the fray, his eyes seemed to close for a moment in dismay. He now opened them as Peleus addressed him and noted, with an inward gulp, that the three goddesses were now looking at him interestedly. "Oh help," he thought, and answered Peleus.

"You have my leave, glorious King. Take thy beauteous bride with you and may you enjoy your lives together."

All the gods turned their attention towards the couple, and sped them along their way with their good wishes.

"Thank the fates," said Thetis, glancing at Peleus. "I'm certainly happy not to be on Olympus this minute."

"You are right, my love," agreed Peleus, taking her hand in his. "A most disagreeable future awaits him who tries to choose the _fairest_ of them all. Although, to my eyes, may I say that you are indeed the fairest."

"Oh, Peleus," said Thetis, reaching up to embrace him. "How kind you are."

"Shall we go home, my love?"

...

"Achilles, you get back here right now, young man," said Hephaestus exasperatedly. He was exhausted after having chased the active young boy around all day.

"Up here, uncle Hephaestus," Achilles called out. He was hanging upside down from the tree, his legs acting like hooks.

"You were born a monkey, my dear lad," said Hephaestus, slowing down and eyeing Achilles with fondness. "Is there anything you cannot do?"

"I haven't found it yet," said Achilles frankly, grinning at Hephaestus. "You _have_ to admit, Mother gave me quite an advantage by dipping me in the river Styx when I was born. The only place she left out was some weird place on my ankle, and that barely counts."

"Don't let it go to your head," said Hephaestus firmly. "Men can still be brought down despite their great physical strength. Your mind must be equally as strong or all the strength in the world will be useless. People will use your mind against you. Keep yourself well-guarded at all times, young Prince."

"Yes sir, uncle Hephaestus!" chanted Achilles, swinging back and forth on his tree branch. He waggled his hand in a salute towards the great blacksmith, who smiled at his antics.

It had been an interesting few years. Since Eris had thrown the apple into the midst of the wedding banquet, Hera, Aphrodite and Athena had been engaged in a fierce competition to decide whom amongst them should have the apple. They had debated in open assembly, sent delegations to wait upon each other, had their disciples extol their virtues, but there had been no resolution to the quarrel.

Thetis had given birth to a beautiful son, Achilles, and she had done her best to make the boy invulnerable to all forms of harm. She was determined that no harm should come to her boy. Hephaestus had asked her why, and she had told him that she knew Achilles would die.

"Calchas, the seer, came to see me today," she said shortly, preparing to take Achilles to the river. "He told me that someday Troy would fall, but in order to do so, Achilles would be in the battle. If my son fights, he will fall, as will Troy. I do not care for their petty quarrels. I have no wish for my boy to lose his life for them."

He looked at the little boy now with great fondness. "Your parents wish to speak with you," he said gruffly. "Go inside and wash up. Else they will wonder where their son is under all this mud."

Achilles laughed, the sound ringing joyously. "I'll see you later, uncle," he promised, running inside the palace.

"I doubt it," said Hephaestus, pursing his lips slightly. He wasn't sure that he approved of Thetis' plan to protect Achilles by sending him to Lycomedes' court, dressed as a girl.

He just knew he would do his best to protect the boy he thought of as his son.

...

Thetis was weeping, and the sea was swelling in sympathy with her tears. The clouds roiled in her rage, the waves crashing down from an enormous height, overwhelming the ocean floor.

She pounded the floor with angry fists, and the waves crashed in unison. Peleus had left her, unable to bear her grief. After all they had done for his protection, Achilles had perished.

In her rage and grief, her whole world had disappeared. Thetis felt a hand steal around her and hold her and stroke her back. It comforted her, and she felt her grief swell under it. It swelled and ebbed, swelled and ebbed, back and forth, back and forth, until it finally died away.

The sea was now eerily calm.

"I'm all right now," she said, her voice cracking. "You don't need to hold me anymore."

She looked up at the strong, beloved face above her, at the boy who meant almost as much to her as own had.

"I don't have the words, _mitera_," said Hephaestus gently. "But as you once were for me, let me be your shore until you are ready to return to the ocean once more."

"It won't be for a while," said Thetis sadly. Her heart was aching, her bones ached with crying and her skin felt salty with tears. "Besides, I seem to have brought the ocean with me."

"It is always with you," said Hephaestus, helping her up. "I had to come. Peleus called me. I am sorry, _mitera_, I am sorry that despite all our efforts, we could not save him."

"It was always meant to be so, I suppose," said Thetis drearily. "The heel … the one place which I could not protect – for that to have been the cause of his death. I cannot bear it! Oh Hephaestus, my boy, my boy."

"He will be taken care of by Hades, _mitera_," said Hephaestus, trusting devoutly that what he said was true. Knowing his eccentric uncle as he did… "you know he has always been fond of Achilles. He will take care of him, I am sure."

"Accursed Trojans," growled Thetis angrily, "they killed my boy."

"Paris was avenging his own brother's death, _mitera_," said Hephaestus.

"Don't speak that boy's name to me," spat Thetis, "Him and his judgments. It is _he_ who is responsible for this war. _He_ who ran after a woman he should not have had. All this death, over a runaway bride, and my son has died for it. Why, Hephaestus, tell me why."

"Paris does not share the fault alone, _mitera_," said Hephaestus quietly. "My wife is, after all, responsible for the woman he ran away with."

"The golden apple," mused Thetis. The corner of her lips rose bleakly. "Even Eris did not know how great a success she had in disrupting my wedding. Had I known the end, I would rather have invited her, and spared myself the trouble."

"_Mitera – _"

"No, Hephaestus, you're right," said Thetis. "There is no one person to blame. I could blame them all, but in the end, I suppose, the blame lies with me for not inviting Eris to my wedding. If not, this whole unhappy chain of events would not have unfolded."

"Nonsense!" thundered Hephaestus angrily. "Everyone has a share of the blame, _mitera_, everyone. Eris, Aphrodite, Hera, Athena, the Greeks, Helen - "

"Everyone, including me and Peleus, my dear boy," said Thetis, smiling at him valiantly. "You cannot leave me out when you have named all the others. I suppose I will just have to accept that Achilles was not meant for a great life. Instead, he will be a star – a star that burned so brightly, that it fell that much more quickly to ground."

"_Mitera, _it wasn't your fault,"said Hephaestus again, more urgently.

"If it is not my fault, then it is no-one's fault," said Thetis laying her cool hand on his. "It will take me time to accept that I have no-one to blame, of course, that it was meant to be. Who knows how much time."

"Let me help you," Hephaestus insisted.

"You have helped me, dear," she said, reaching up to kiss his brow, and raising a hand to his earnest face. "You have helped me just by staying with me. Now, I must go to my ocean and find comfort in its embrace once more."

"What about Peleus?"

"I will come back, and he knows it. He has always been prepared for it. For now, I need the water around me more than I can say."

...

"Hephaestus!"

Thetis reached across and slapped his face, the sound ringing in the hall. She was rewarded by her son's incredulous (and indignant!) look.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"What happened this morning?" she demanded. "Charis came and got me, and unfolded a ridiculous rigmarole of which I don't understand either head or tail. Is it true?"

"Is what true? What are you talking about, _ mitera_?" asked Hephaestus, a bit dazed. He looked around. "Hey, you turned my music off!"

"if you mean that horrible, ear-crashing, monstrous noise that was coming from that thing, you are right. I couldn't hear myself shouting, so I turned it off," said Thetis smugly. "You clearly weren't listening to it because you were apparently dead to the world, and I'm not surprised! Look at you! You reek! What the devil have you been doing, Hephaestus? I didn't raise you to be a sodding drunk like Dionysus."

"Hey, hey, watch it with the name-calling, _mitera_. Dionysus wouldn't like it."

"I don't give a flying drachma for Dionysus' opinion! Now, are you going to tell me the truth or am I going to have to drag it out of you!"

"The truth about _what!_"

"_Aphrodite!_" exclaimed Thetis. "Is it true that she has been dismissed from her post by the moirae?"

Hephaestus raised his brow. "Ah, so they did go through with their promise. Ouch! _Mitera_, do stop hitting me."

"Hephaestus, do concentrate," pleaded Thetis. "Is what Charis told me true?"

Hephaestus got up, stretched, and almost reeled back. Catching himself before he fell, he stumbled to his bath chamber, divesting himself of his work-clothes (they really did smell terrible… what had he done?), and lowering himself into his bath.

Lying back with a sigh, he then opened his eyes and met Thetis' fuming gaze. "Well," he said finally, "I can't really confirm whether Charis was correct without knowing what she told you, can I?"

Doing her best to keep her patience, Thetis told him about Charis' dramatic portrayal of Aphrodite's misbehavior, and the resultant quarrel.

"And then when I came to find you, I find you in here, sodding drunk and absolutely smelly and horrible. Rumors are wild in Olympus that you are petitioning Zeus for a divorce, so tell me now, is what Charis said true?"

Hephaestus thought about it, and finally nodded carelessly. "Yes, it's true – except I haven't yet petitioned Zeus, so, that's just the Olympian grapevine. You know how it is - effective but with very bad timing. Apollo should have a word with them about getting their musical rhythms straight."

"Hephaestus," said Thetis in a dangerous voice, "If you do not tell me what is happening in a straightforward manner, I swear I will not be responsible for the consequences. Stop harping on about rhythms and grapes and pay attention!"

Hephaestus sighed. Then, seeing that his mother was not going to leave him in peace, he dunked his head under the water, rinsed his hair out, climbed out of the bathtub and padded into his sleeping chambers, with Thetis following him. He found a robe and putting it on, he went over to the sitting area where he had several comfortable sofas.

"Charis came and fetched me," he told Thetis quietly, after settling her in a chair opposite his. "She gave me to understand that Aphrodite was on the verge of one of her tantrums and that somehow the devotees had to be shielded. The last time Aphrodite unleashed her anger on them, she destroyed several of the moirae's tapestries. She irreparably damaged several souls, who are damned even now, throwing the world out of balance. In order to make things right, the moirae had to minimize as much damage as possible. Once things were back in balance, at least, for the world, they warned her that another such episode would see her permanently removed from her post. They were furious, and rightly so."

"Surely, not even Aphrodite would do such a thing," said Thetis horror-struck. "Those poor souls!"

"You know her and her tantrums," said Hephaestus wearily. "She never means to do harm, and then she goes and strikes out at the precise thing which will really cause the world to tilt. Think of Troy, for heaven's sake, _mitera_."

"I have no wish to revisit that time," said Thetis coldly, her voice catching a little.

Hephaestus caught her hand in remorse. "I'm sorry, _mitera_, I'm a brute for bringing that back to you. But you understand my point."

"So you went to save Aphrodite from herself, did you?" asked Thetis grimly.

He shrugged one of his shoulders. "I thought I could help. I turned her ire on myself and Charis herded her worshippers away. I've always been good for that much at least."

Thetis was caught by the bitter tinge in his voice. She looked at him sadly, and took his hand in hers. "Charis told me what she said."

Hephaestus stood up and walked to the windows. "It was nothing that I did not already know. She's never made a secret of her dislike, her loathing, her very disgust of me."

Thetis bit her lips to stop herself from cursing Aphrodite. "You know – better than anyone else – that what she said is not true. You are not _nothing_. You are _not_ worthless or unlovable."

Hephaestus laughed cynically. "To her I am and always have been exactly those things."

"Then it is time to let go of her," said Thetis. She came to Hephaestus and took his hand. "Let her go, Hephaestus. Petition Zeus and let her go. Cast off her foul influence and let yourself live, my son."

Hephaestus looked at her steadily. "Do you really think that I should, _mitera_?"

"I have always tried to see the best in people, be they immortal or mortal, Hephaestus," said Thetis sadly, "but I cannot ignore the poison she has put inside you any longer. It is time for both of you to be free – free from her and freedom to find a new life. I want you to have a life, my child-" she caught his hands in hers and kissed them gently – "I want you to live and be happy, and have children. I want to see you laugh with joy and see you bring joy to those who love you and want only your happiness. I have supported your union as best as I could, but I feel that it is no longer wise to have her tainting your life. Be free, my son. Life is best lived with love. Who can say that better than I?"

"Peleus would not disagree," said Hephaestus, smiling weakly at her.

"Peleus and I know each other well after all these years," said Thetis, winking at him. Her husband, having been given ambrosia by Zeus at her request, served now in Poseidon's court. She loved to go there and tease him out of his duties, knowing he could not resist her. Her smile grew warm as she thought of him, and upon seeing it, Hephaestus himself smiled wistfully and seemed to nod, almost to himself.

"Very well, then," he said, shocking himself, "upon the morrow, I will go and petition Zeus to dissolve our marriage."

"I'll come with you, too," said Thetis firmly. "Hera's going to be there, and I'm not going to have her thrusting a spoke in the wheel just to spite you. Do me a favor and address her as mother tomorrow. She'd be ever so much more amenable then. It's time for you both to move past this."

"No," said Hephaestus with finality.

And from that standpoint, Thetis knew that even _she _ could not move him.

**Author's notes: Hey everybody, I'm back! I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long. Both my stories have been on hiatus, but hopefully, my writer's block has now finally been vanquished. Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers who have encouraged me despite my long absence. Hopefully, the next chapter will be out soon. If you are reading my "Twilight" story, I hope to update that soon, too. **

**this chapter didn't really expand on the plot, but it did deal with Hephaestus' side of the story, and a little more interaction between him and Thetis. Also, I believe someone once wrote inquiring into how Thetis dealt with Achilles' death. Hope you liked the way it was handled. To my surprise, it wanted practically its own chapter :D **

**And now for thank yous!**

**Kyubbiman - thanks for your kind words and encouragement. Don't worry, the story hasn't been abandoned. I love it, and want to complete it, although sometimes I run desperately short of a little inspiration. Thankfully, writer's block has ended :D **

**Krnyong: Nope, it's not over :D There's still a long way to go. Hope you enjoy the ride!**

**Lmb111514: Thanks for the review! Hope you like the update!**

**AzucenaXshadows: Thanks for the review! Hope you like the update!**

**Fostersb: Thanks for the insightful review :D I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Leanne: I agree with you - it's really hard to like Aphrodite right now. But stay with it, she's going to get better! **

**Brecky: Thanks brecky :D **

**Enix: thanks for the review ! Hope you like the update!**

**Until later, guys, thanks for your encouragement and reviews! Until next time!**

**Windwhistles. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: See previous. **

Chapter 7

Hera liked to sleep on her side, cocooned in the warmth of her covers and luxurious bed. She did not truly feel the need to sleep, but she did so anyway because she could then visit Hypnos, the god of sleep and his consort, Pasithea. Gentle Hypnos always had a ready welcome for the great goddess who had bestowed upon him the hand of his beloved Pasithea. Although he and Pasithea lived in a large cave in the underworld, Morpheus, their son, would reach out to Hera in her dreams and bring her to their home.

She was enjoying herself, laughing and chatting with Pasithea (Hypnos having gone out) over a chalice of ambrosia, when she felt her palace alarms start to ring, warning her of someone approaching her rooms. Quickly taking leave of Pasithea, Hera relinquished Morpheus' land, instantly jerking awake.

She pulled on the dressing robes she was fond of, and ran into her bathing chamber. Water was steaming from the enormous sunken bath on the mosaic floor. Divesting herself of her robes, she entered the water, changing the temperature to suit her, and sank down. She wasn't worried – only one person had the authority to enter her palace and chambers uninvited, although even he usually knew better. Mentally, she started counting down: ten…nine…eight…seven…six…five…four…three…two…one

BANG!

"HERA!" Zeus' voice boomed around the chamber, and his consort sighed. Oh dear, whatever had gone wrong now. "Hera, I need to talk to you _now!_"

Hera rolled her eyes. "I'm having a bath, Zeus," she called out, making splashing sounds to suit her words. "Can't this wait?"

"I wouldn't be here if it could, would I?" replied her husband sharply.

Hera winced – of course, she'd given him the perfect opening to shoot an arrow at her, hadn't she? What had she expected, a greeting or loverlike comment?

She gathered her thoughts and donned her mental armor. It was practically an automatic action by now. Making sure her voice was mild and inquiring, she said, "Not at all. I was merely asking if you _had_ to interrupt me while I was having a bath. Must you burst into my chambers and disturb me? Couldn't you have just called me with whatever problem you're having? Mortals aren't the only ones with phones, you know."

She smirked –any sort of technology other than his trademark lightning bolts was completely beyond Zeus. It was for that very reason that she had had the very latest telephones installed the other day, courtesy of Hermes, and obviously Zeus hadn't yet figured out how to use them.

"That's not relevant!" retorted Zeus sharply. "Will you please come out so I can talk to you? How long do you sit in that thing anyway? Whenever I come to see you, you're always in it!"

Hera uncoiled herself a tad regretfully and stood up, letting the water droplets roll off her skin and hair. She summoned a brush off her vanity and brushed out her long, thick, wavy locks, and shook them back. Putting on her dressing robe, she said: "I'm coming out, so if you would wait for me in the living room, I would appreciate it."

"Hera, we've been married for a long time," said Zeus, sounding amused. "I doubt you have anything I haven't seen yet."

Hera gritted her teeth. She would _not_ retort the way he expected her to. She would _not_. "Zeus," she said in a warning tone.

"Oh all right," grumbled her husband. "Make it quick, will you? I have a lot of things to do today."

Hera heard the door close behind him, and stalked out into her chamber, glaring after her absent husband. Arrogant idiot, she smirked, choosing her outfit for the day; He always did get under her skin, but she managed to stick her jabs in here and there. She eyed herself in the mirror and approved. Then, taking a deep breath, she opened the door and walked into her living room.

Zeus was standing at the window with his back to the room, but at his wife's entrance, he turned and looked at her. Her palace was left mostly open to the sun because she loved the light. The rays were streaming through the transparent walls onto her sable locks, making them shine. She was apparently not planning to go out, for she had donned simple heeled sandals and a short dress in a green color that reminded him of apples. Brightly colored drops in the same green hue hung at her ears, artfully framing her defined features. She looked incredibly beautiful, he thought, admiring her silently as he always did. It would never do to let Hera know of his admiration. He'd learnt that lesson the hard way.

Outwardly, he frowned at her and said snidely: "Well, now that you're finally ready, perhaps we can proceed. We have a problem, Hera."

"So I understand," said Hera drily. "Perhaps you could get to the point."

"Hephaestus wants a divorce from Aphrodite," said Zeus bluntly, watching as Hera froze at the mention of her son. "He is coming in the morning to talk with me and lodge the petition. I want to know what you think."

Hera's pose did not soften. "I am the goddess of marriage, my lord Zeus," she said, her eyes glittering, "what do you think my answer will be?"

Zeus sighed. "I know, Hera," he said simply, "but this is different. I want you to think about it."

Hera tilted her head at a regal angle. "Why should I?" she asked.

"Because their marriage isn't working," replied Zeus. "Let's face it, Hera, it's been a disaster. They can't stand each other; Aphrodite is blatantly unfaithful to him; He is unhappy and so is she."

"You haven't told me anything I don't already know, Zeus," said Hera tightly. "Get to the point."

"I'm going to grant their petititon."

Hera's eyes shot furious sparks. "Absolutely not! I forbid you to do anything of the kind. How dare you!"

"Hera, be reasonable-" He started.

"Reasonable? _You_ want _me_ to be reasonable?" Hera came closer to Zeus, her tall stature and heels putting her on an even height with him.

"They can't go on this way," Zeus pleaded. "They're miserable. The moirae have removed Aphrodite from her post! We're only making them desperate this way. Please, let's end it!"

"We will do no such thing!" decreed Hera furiously. "So what if they're miserable? Do you think every marriage is happy? Look at us!"

She stopped at the contemptuous look on his face.

"Us?" he asked softly. "Do you really think this relationship between you and me constitutes an '_us_,' Hera? No, not every marriage is happy, but every marriage should be. We have a chance here to end a marriage that has been every bit as destructive as it has been miserable for both of the parties involved. We have a chance to let them build new lives for themselves. Do you truly mean to tell me that you would deny them? Where is your compassion, goddess?"

"Don't you sit there on your throne and look down at me, Zeus," said Hera, her face set like stone. "Marriage is sacred. It defines the people who undertake it. Once entered into, it should not be undone. You may not think anything of the institution, Unfaithful one, but I, the goddess of marriage, rule on this matter."

"So you would keep punishing both of them in this way so they will always be under your rule?" asked Zeus disbelievingly. "Is this your revenge against them then? Against Hephaestus and Aphrodite?"

"I was not the one who put them together!" Hera shouted at him.

"No, it was I!" Zeus shouted back. "But it was you who refused to give your blessing. Small wonder that it has been such an unhappy union! This, then, is your revenge for what Hephaestus did to you, and for Aphrodite being my daughter! When are you going to grow up, Hera!"

"Don't talk to me about growing up, you childish lout!" Hera said in a rage. "I am simply doing my job."

"A job that you know nothing about anymore than Aphrodite apparently seems to know about love!" said Zeus, still shouting. "If so, you would understand that marriage is between two people who want to be together, not two people who have no desire to do so!"

There was silence as Zeus' words hung in the air between them.

Hera's startled eyes caught her husband's, and her lips began curling at the edges. Her sneer grew into a wicked smile and bloomed into laughter. She began laughing so quickly, she couldn't catch her breath. She sank into one of the chaise-longues, her laughter still echoing around the room.

"Stop laughing!" boomed Zeus in a rage. "Hera! What the devil has gotten into you?"

"You can't be serious," Hera said between gurgles. "You, Zeus, are giving _me_ a lecture on how people should be together." She mopped her eyes with her skirt, and looked up at him, still bright-eyed, but with her smile shrinking now. "You, who have made cuckolds of all the husbands of the women you have cheated with."

Then her lips curled back into a sneer that had her husband mentally groaning, and the eagle-eyed Hera was back, all signs of humor gone. She looked her husband up and down, the sneer still visible on her features.

Zeus stood his ground, despite feeling slightly intimidated by his consort's suddenly venomous stare. "I understand the irony, Hera, but –"

"As you said, I did not give my blessing to Hephaestus' and Aphrodite's union, Zeus," said Hera composedly, "because I did not believe they would be happy regardless. Unless you've forgotten, Aphrodite was in love with Ares."

"That was eons ago," said Zeus scornfully. "They couldn't care less about each other now."

"Certainly not, given that you ruined any chance they may have had for happiness with each other by wedding Aphrodite to Hephaestus," continued Hera, circling Zeus like a snake, "without asking any of them, I might add."

"I know what I did, Hera," said Zeus in a low voice. "At that time, even you agreed with me. Have you forgotten that?"

"But I did not make the decision for them," said Hera immediately. "You did."

Zeus let out a maddened roar. "By all the fates, yes, woman, I did! But I have come to understand that they are not for each other, Hera. I mean it. I'm going to grant Hephaestus the divorce! You can agree to it or not, but your word on this score doesn't mean much, considering you didn't bless them in the first place. The only reason I came here was so that you could actually act like a mother, for once, and think about your children. I was wrong, and now I'm leaving."

He turned infuriatedly and left, slamming the doors behind him.

Hera stood where she was, stunned by his parting words.

The skies were dark, the clouds roiling dangerously. Flashes of lightning speared the black masses curling around Olympus. Buffeted about by the strong winds and slashing rain, Hephaestus and Thetis made their way to the Hall of the Gods, where Zeus would be waiting for them.

"It doesn't look good, judging by the weather," said Hephaestus drily, guiding Thetis toward the building.

Thetis made a sound of agreement, but they journeyed on, nevertheless, and entered the Hall together.

Like all the buildings on Olympus, the Hall was beautiful. It was a large oval structure, consisting of a domed roof, tall marbled pillars, and a floor that reflected the universe. Colorful stars and galaxies showed on its mirrored black surface, making the earth-bound Thetis slightly queasy. She looked ahead to the gilded seats where Zeus and Hera stood, waiting for them. Surprisingly, no one else was there.

Not even Aphrodite.

"My lord_,"_ said Hephaestus formally as he halted before the couple, "my lady_, _thank you for seeing me. I hope you are both well."

Zeus grunted, and said: "We're both fine, Hephaestus. Let's get to the heart of the problem, shall we? Where is Aphrodite?"

"I do not know, my lord," said Hephaestus, "I have not seen her since the moirae's decree."

"I don't suppose you know anything about that," said Hera in a dangerous voice, her eyes glittering. "It's surprising how often you seem to drive Aphrodite to tears and unfit public behavior."

Before Hephaestus could say anything, Thetis took up the cudgels on his behalf. "I'd say that speaks more about her own selfish behavior rather than it being Hephaestus' fault," she said, bristling. "It's not just Hephaestus who has an effect on her either. Her own son and daughter-in-law seem to bring it out, too. It's more a question of what doesn't set off Aphrodite's temper, isn't it?"

"How _dare_ you speak to me so disrespectfully?" demanded Hera furiously.

"I'm not going to stand by and watch you put the blame on Hephaestus for Aphrodite's behavior, Hera!" exclaimed Thetis. "He has tried everything to make this marriage work, which is more than I can say for Aphrodite. My lord Zeus," she appealed to Zeus, "this situation is untenable. Aphrodite and Hephaestus continue only to make each other unhappy. That is not the purpose of marriage, my lord, indeed it degrades the very institution itself."

"Yet people have made the best of unhappy marriages before and found happiness, Thetis," said Zeus, frowning slightly. "That alone does not convince me to end this union."

Hephaestus gave a bittersweet smile. "_Pateras,"_ he said informally, "we have tried, both of us, to find happiness in this union. Everything I do offends her, hurts her, and in turn hurts me. She takes pleasure in her anger with me. We have not lived together for so many centuries, it seems absurd to even think we are wed. Perhaps, if we were both to live without the other, we could find another with whom we could be happy. Surely there can be no objection to that."

"I never would have taken you for a quitter, Hephaestus," said Hera smugly, enjoying the outrage on Thetis' face, "especially since you demanded Aphrodite in the first place."

"I did no such thing," said Hephaestus at once. "You do me an injustice, my lady, to suggest such a thing. I would never dream of coercing any woman into marriage. I simply wished for a companion with whom I could share my life – when Aphrodite's name was put forward, I made no objection. Why would I?"

"Because she was in love with someone else," said Hera, raising her eyebrows. "You destroyed her happiness by accepting her hand."

"I was unaware of her feelings for Mars," said Hephaestus composedly. "You could hardly expect me to know about it when I didn't grow up on Olympus. I have done my best to make her happy, and I have failed." He looked at Zeus. "I have failed, _pateras_, and I do not wish to continue to be such a failure. Please allow me to seek freedom for both of us. I believe it would be for the happiness and well-being of us both."

"I do not agree, Hephaestus," said Hera before Zeus could speak. "I believe you forget that one does not enter marriage lightly. It is not a cloak to worn and shod at will."

But Hephaestus wasn't looking at the goddess who had borne him. He was instead looking at Zeus, and Zeus was looking back at him.

"What will you do if I do not grant this wish of yours, Hephaestus?" asked Zeus softly, cutting Hera's words short.

Hephaestus kept his eyes on Zeus and said: "We will, in all likelihood, continue the way we are, my lord," he said, equally softly. "We will live our separate ways, taking lovers whom we do not care for, never truly finding happiness. I do not do this to hurt Aphrodite, but rather to give her a new life that she can live independently of me. I do not wish to be the cause of her misery, as she frequently tells me I am. I've only ever wanted someone whom I can share my life with. Someone whom I can cherish and love, and hope for the same in return. That is all, my lord."

There was a moment of silence.

Zeus spoke quickly. "I grant your request, my dear boy," he said, ignoring Hera's frightful indignation. "You will have your divorce."

"Aren't you even going to _ask_ Aphrodite?" Hera broke in. "Doesn't she at least deserve the courtesy to be asked whether this is what she wants? You didn't take her desires into consideration all those years ago, don't make the same mistake again."

"I don't need to ask Aphrodite, my dear Hera," said Zeus sardonically. "I've received countless messages from her begging me to free her from the 'burden of being bound and chained for life' to Hephaestus. That's a direct quote that you can read from _this_"—he produced a letter—"if you don't believe me."

Hera snatched it in mid-air. "But this was written ten years ago," she said, appalled. "Zeus, please—"

"Then she should have thought carefully before sending me such a message," said Zeus implacably. "Now, be quiet."

About to voice another plea, Hera stopped short, her features reflecting her hurt, before she donned her mask again quickly and subsided.

Hephaestus felt a bit sorry for his creator (he refused to even think of her as his mother). Her marriage was a particularly harsh one. He wondered if she had ever been different. The similarities between her and Aphrodite, however, were becoming more apparent. He had no wish for his union with his consort to deteriorate into quite such blatant disrespect. It was better to have a clean break.

Perhaps if the moirae had done to Hera what they had done to Aphrodite, his creator would have been better off.

However, he kept his eyes on Zeus. Thunder was starting to sound, and water was coming sharply down outside the chambers. The winds were beginning to howl. Zeus picked up his staff and stood. The staff came alive at once, sending bolts of lightning fleeing hither and thither. It crackled and sizzled, cutting through the air, and charging it, bringing it to life. Hephaestus could feel the raw power of it, pure and true, wielded by the hands of a true master. Zeus motioned to Hephaestus to hold out the hand with his wedding ring. Unlike Aphrodite, Hephaestus made no attempts to hide his wedded state, so the ring shone plainly on his hand.

"I, Zeus," shouted the Father of the Gods over the boom of thunder, "do hereby announce the dissolution of the union between Hephaestus and Aphrodite. The bond of consorts is broken, leaving them independent and free. Oh ye gods, hear my decree!"

Zeus brought the staff, with the live lightning bolt sizzling, squarely down in the center of the ring.

Hephaestus had flinched despite himself. He had built the staff, and configured every inch of it, but when it came down, he had still flinched and closed his eyes. He felt the heat penetrating the ring, and cracking it.

The ring fell apart in two halves falling on to the marble floor with audible sounds. The world flashed to a light so brilliant, they could barely see anything. Hephaestus felt something inside him break free, leaving him lighter. He felt as though a chain had been removed, and as the light faded away, he looked down, expecting to see the broken links but to his surprise, the halves were floating upwards and hovering in front of Zeus.

And then they heard it.

Two more little golden semi-circles whizzed past Hephaestus, and touched the hovering pieces. And then they turned black and fell once more to the ground, lying there lifelessly.

Zeus picked them up, and eyed them sadly. He closed his fist around them for a moment and opened it again. The pieces had disappeared.

"They have gone to Hades," he said soberly. He looked at Hephaestus.

"Thank you, my lord," said Hepheastus sincerely.

"Go with my blessing, my boy," said Zeus softly.

Hephaestus looked at Hera, whose eyes were blazing with contempt, and then turned away. With his hand held in Thetis', he walked out of the temple, back to his abode.

Free, he thought, I am free!

In her chambers, Aphrodite looked at the little white circle on her finger. It was all that was left of her ring. Hephaestus had done it. He had divorced her.

She had never thought he would actually carry out his threat.

**Author's Notes: This was a different kind of chapter for me :D I rather enjoyed writing Zeus and Hera. I'm so happy hearing from reviewers that they are enjoying the story and the characterization of the gods. Keep writing. I love hearing suggestions. I tried the review reply but it doesn't seem to be working, so all reviewers will be answered over here in the author's notes section. **

Lmb111514 - Thanks, I'm happy you enjoyed it! Hope you had great holidays too!

Sadistic Lunatic - Thank you! Thetis is a wonderful character to write; she's so refreshing and energizing!

Kyubbiman - Thanks for the review. Glad you liked it!

AzucenaXshadows - Thanks for the review!

thewarriorzemos - Thanks for the compliment! I don't believe Zeus was ever thrown off Olympus; there is one version of the myth in which Hephaestus, in an effort to help Hera, throws Zeus off Olympus, but in this story, I'm disregarding this myth. Given Hera's and Hephaestus's bitter relationship, I highly doubt that Hephaestus ever meaningfully helps Hera in any way. While he isn't lacking in compassion, he doesn't feel that he owes her anything either. It is Thetis who is the maternal figure in his life. Hope that answers your question and that you enjoyed the chapter.

Until the next update! Have a great week, everyone!


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters of the story. **

**Important Note: I don't generally place notes at the beginning of the story, but this is important enough to merit a place here. **

**The story of Hephaestus that I'm using here has to do with Hera. It was Hera who threw Hephaestus off of Olympus, not Zeus. Thewarriorzemos pointed out to me that earlier in the story, I'd written that Zeus had thrown off Hephaestus, but this was a typo. It was Hera, not Zeus, who did so, and as a result, Hephaestus was caught and brought up by Thetis. **

**Sadly, I can't go back and change this typo because I've lost the earlier chapters of my story to my old laptop. If anyone's got any ideas on how to correct it without having to reload every chapter, please let me know. I just wanted to make this clarification. Thanks to thewarriorzemos for pointing out this error. **

Chapter 8

The crackling whips of lightning and the crashing of the thunder seemed to fade away in the midst of the intense light which surrounded her. For one moment, the world spun madly around her, the colors leached away by the all-encompassing brightness. Her hands and feet slipped as she tried to find purchase, and her voice tried to scream, but no sounds emerged from her throat. The band around her finger seemed to become heavier until her hand felt weighted down by it; it became hotter, almost as if it were absorbing the light into itself until she felt as though it would burn right through her finger.

Suddenly, it snapped.

The ring fell into two perfect halves that hovered in front of her dazed eyes before disappearing into the distance.

The world seemed quieter when the light faded away. Her straining ears caught the hushed sound of raindrops falling gently all around her. The light no longer faded and flashed intermittently, but stayed calm and gentle.

Everything seemed to have become so much softer.

Aphrodite looked at the little white circle on her finger; the heavy band which had weighted it down for so many years had gone.

He had done it.

She was divorced. _They_ were divorced. No longer… married?

Aphrodite struggled to comprehend the words echoing in her mind. Was it possible? It couldn't be. She hadn't even lodged another petition, which meant…

Hephaestus had divorced her. He had thrown her out of his life. He had rejected her.

She was free, but… her husband, her consort had publicly said that he no longer wished to be with her.

And Zeus had agreed.

Aphrodite struggled to comprehend that Hephaestus had actually done it; that he had actually rejected the goddess of beauty – no, not a goddess any longer. She was nothing, now.

Not a goddess.

Not a consort.

Not a lover.

Nothing.

Her mind whirling, her eyes stared around her bewildered, and then all was blank.

* * *

Aphrodite came to, quite painfully, with a stinging sensation in her cheek.

"Must you be so clichéd?" asked her mother-in-law, no, _former_ mother-in-law, now. Hera was glaring at her. "I mean, really, _fainting? _Could you have possibly picked a more weak-minded response? Don't you have any pride?"

Aphrodite was silent. She didn't want to talk to Hera just now, so she tried glaring the elder goddess away.

Hera swatted away the glance as one would a fly.

"Don't bother," she said dismissively, her glance raking Aphrodite's slender frame with contempt. "I came to see you, and found you lying as limp as a rag on the floor. I had to bring you around somehow."

That brought Aphrodite's attention to her stinging cheek. "You _slapped _me!" she exclaimed in outrage.

"I stopped carrying around smelling salts at the end of the 19th century," replied Hera unrepentantly. "So slapping you seemed the easiest – not to mention, the most satisfying – way to wake you up."

Aphrodite's glare intensified. To make sure she got her point across, she even changed her hair to black. Combined with the light blue eyes, the combination was quite deadly, but failed quite patently to impress Hera, who met her stare for stare.

With a sigh, Aphrodite gave up, and Hera grinned triumphantly.

"Quite so," said the elder goddess approvingly. Having won the battle, she was now prepared to be a little more magnanimous. "I see I don't need to break the news of your unmarried state now. That's good. It moves things forward considerably."

"I fail to see how," said Aphrodite, her voice brittle. "I don't have anything now. It's all gone, every bit of it."

"Don't tell me you're mourning for him, please," said Hera quietly, her eyes meeting Aphrodite's. "We both know that would be a lie."

Aphrodite looked away again, feeling bitterly cold. It felt as if the light had sucked all the heat out of her body and she was freezing. Her slight frame was shuddering and she could feel something horrible welling up inside her. The screams she had been unable to voice earlier seemed to have changed into something altogether wet and sticky, and she could feel it clogging her throat.

Hera noticed the shudders and fell silent. Moving over to Aphrodite, she sat down beside her stepdaughter and took her hand.

Aphrodite turned to her, and buried her head on Hera's shoulder. Hot tears cascaded down her face and she sobbed, quietly at first, and then with great, shuddering heaves. Hera held the younger immortal in her arms, and patted her hand.

"Pull yourself together, Aphrodite," Hera said calmly.

Aphrodite shook her head. "I've lost everything," she said forlornly.

"You didn't want Hephaestus," Hera pointed out. "So why are you enacting such a melodrama?"

"It's not a melodrama!" Aphrodite shouted. "My husband doesn't want me. He rejected me."

"For good reason, too," retorted Hera. "I did point out to your father that you should be consulted, but he showed me a petition you had already lodged. After that, he simply brushed my arguments aside."

"Father tossed me away," said Aphrodite bitterly. "I've never meant anything to him. My wishes have never concerned him. But the minute Hephaestus wanted a divorce, he agreed. How is that fair? I've petitioned him for years. I begged him not to make me marry Hephaestus, but he insisted. Now, he dissolved the union without even asking me."

"Is that what's bothering you?" asked Hera. "Your father always thinks himself omnipotent, Aphrodite. He has never concerned himself about the female goddesses, or indeed, women's emotions in general. What did you expect?"

"I don't know how you stand being married to him," said Aphrodite, looking at her hands.

A corner of Hera's lips twisted. "Neither do I," she said, "but then again, when was my opinion ever sought about our own union?"

Aphrodite looked up at once. "I'm sorry," she told Hera genuinely. "I didn't mean to bring up your own circumstances. It's just so hard, not knowing what to do. Hephaestus told me that I didn't know anything about love, despite being the goddess of love. He said I was vain and selfish. Even Charis agreed with him. On my way back from my temple, all the gods and goddesses I met looked at me as though I were beneath their feet. Then, father dissolved my marriage without even asking me. What am I supposed to _do_ now?"

Hera had been watching Aphrodite talk, her face sympathetic. As the younger woman's voice trailed to an end, however, she entered the conversation. "Are you finished with the self-pity yet?" she asked, making her voice mocking.

"What do you mean?" Aphrodite had been prepared for sympathy, not its opposite.

Hera stood and walked over to the window and looked out. "You have no idea how much I envy you," she said, and turned her head to look at Aphrodite. "You don't know how fortunate you are."

Aphrodite was stunned. "What do you mean, _mitera_?" she repeated the question, moving forward to face Hera. "I don't have a role on Olympus any more. You know what that means."

"Yes, it means that you can leave this place, go somewhere else, away from all these petty politics," said Hera passionately. "You can go and live anywhere you choose, whether it be on a mountain, or among the mortals."

"_Hera-"_

"You can do anything you want, talk to anyone you want. You won't have anyone or anything holding you back. Oh Aphrodite, don't you see how lucky you are?" Hera turned to Aphrodite again, and caught her hand. "Do you know how long I've prayed to the fates for such a thing to happen to me? And now that you have it, you're sitting and crying about it, instead of using it."

"That was _your_ wish, not mine," said Aphrodite indignantly. "I liked my job, thank you. I did a good job, didn't I?"

"For someone who didn't understand it, you certainly did," agreed Hera.

Aphrodite stared at her, hurt, and dropped Hera's hand. "How could you say that to me? I did my best."

Hera sighed. "You didn't listen to what I said, dear," she said, reprovingly. "I said, that for someone who didn't understand her job, you did it well."

"I heard you, _mitera_," said Aphrodite coldly, and stalked over to her couch again. "Care to explain? Because those were the exact words your son threw at me, too. Oh wait, he's not your son, is he? He doesn't even call you his mother. It's funny that –"

"That's enough, Aphrodite," said Hera sternly, her voice so frigid that Aphrodite quailed under its power. "I will not hear this vitriol spewed from your lips."

Aphrodite's lips trembled, and she turned away. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I didn't mean it. You know I didn't."

"I've known you long enough to know it, yes," said Hera, coming over to sit beside her. Then, looking at Aphrodite, she said: "Of all of Zeus' children, you are the only one I can stand. It's strange, really."

"Yes, it is," said Aphrodite, smiling a little. "Why is that?"

"I thought I would hate you, too," said Hera, her voice a little melancholy. "What with Zeus' constant infidelities, it hurt even more to be confronted by them. Hercules, Helen, Minos, all of them. Somehow, it never stopped hurting."

Aphrodite looked at Hera's strained features, and reached over to take her hand. "They already had mothers, all of them. I didn't even know how to be one. Athena was already fully grown by the time Zeus married me. I was so jealous of Zeus' offspring that I tried to conceive on my own. It worked, and Hephaestus was born."

Aphrodite looked at her sharply. "Why did you throw him away, then?" she asked, trying to keep all harshness from her voice.

"I was so surprised; Hephaestus was a tiny little thing, red and scrawny, and so ugly. I looked at him and I compared him to Athena or Ares, and I thought he would never survive. I was so ashamed of him and myself," Hera said, her eyes filming with tears, and her lips quivering. "My only thought was that Zeus would laugh at me. I never even considered Hephaestus as a child at all. I just wanted to get rid of him and pretend he never existed. There's no excuse for my actions."

Aphrodite had sat silent and unmoving through the horror story. Hera had _never_ spoken to _anyone_ about Hephaestus' birth before. "Why were you so surprised?" she asked softly. "Surely you've seen babies before. You are the patroness of marriage, after all."

"Yes, but I've never seen an actual newborn baby. I was unconscious after Ares was born. It was so difficult, you see," said Hera, a little flustered. "After that, I didn't see him at all. I wasn't allowed to see him. You know how those times were… a child was only considered by the father, not by the woman who carried him or her. Zeus wanted Ares to grow up powerful, and unaffected by women."

"Then he hated him for it because he was afraid Ares was too powerful," said Aphrodite drily. "How like him. I'm sorry, _mitera_, I had no idea. No wonder you and Ares don't get on."

"I tried to make it so that Hephaestus didn't exist," repeated Hera, her voice anguished. She dropped her head into her hands. "I didn't even consider what my actions had done. Then, when I realized and searched for him, he had disappeared. I didn't know that Thetis had caught him."

"She said she made It just in time," Aphrodite tried to make her voice as non-judgmental as possible. "By the time you realized, he would have probably died."

"Yes," Hera closed her eyes and shuddered. "He would have died. He would have died by my own hand. He smiled at me, you know, when he was born. But I didn't notice. I was too caught up in hiding from Zeus to notice. I killed him, Aphrodite."

"He's still alive, _mitera_," said Aphrodite, "don't get carried away."

"I don't blame him for not acknowledging me," said Hera sadly. "I just hate that the one person I could have loved, my own child, looks to someone else because I was foolish and wicked enough to throw him away. After that, I tried to put it aside, and I never became pregnant again. I could only look at Zeus' children with envy, and hate them for existing, when my own child didn't exist."

"Why didn't you say anything to Hephaestus when he came to Olympus?" asked Aphrodite softly.

"I was too ashamed to even look at him," whispered Hera. "By the time I did look, Zeus had announced your union. I protested to Zeus afterward – I told him about you and Ares, but he wouldn't be moved."

"Father's always been all about power," said Aphrodite cynically. "So why did you accept me, then?"

"You were different," said Hera slowly. She took a deep breath, and swallowed. "You came up to Olympus, and we all fell in love with you. How could we not? You were like the child I'd always wanted: beautiful, vivacious, bubbling with joy and laughter. It made me happy just to be near you. I never thought that you could change. It was so easy to love you. You were irresistible. But Zeus was afraid, you know."

"That I would win everyone's heart and take over Olympus," Aphrodite put in. Hera smiled. "Has father always been this paranoid?"

"He's always been worried about that, no matter whom it is."

"Well, he could have saved himself the trouble," said Aphrodite. "I shudder at the very thought of trying to lead our wonderful little band. Seriously, he needs to take a break from Olympus."

"Yes, well, he can't and more to the point, he won't," said Hera. "Mortals have a saying, you know: Absolute power corrupts. Zeus has been in power for so long, he is bound by it. He could never live without it. It drives him."

"Thank the fates I'm free of that," joked Aphrodite flippantly before she realized what she had said. She looked at Hera, realization dawning upon her.

Hera smiled back at her. "Yes, you are free," she said meaningfully. "You're free to do whatever you like. You can leave, my dear, and choose your own fate. Perhaps, you can even find your own true love along the way."

"Yes, I can," said Aphrodite wonderingly. "I don't have to be here. I can do whatever I've dreamed of doing."

"Hephaestus did you both a favor," said Hera, "although if you ever tell anyone I said that, I will hurt you. After all, I am the –"

"Patron goddess of marriage?" asked Aphrodite with a twinkle in her eye. "Thank you,_ mitera_. Thank you for coming to talk to me."

"You're the nearest I have to a daughter," said Hera, coming to her feet. "Keep in touch, will you?"

"I will," said Aphrodite, following Hera to the door.

"Have fun," said Hera softly, and winked at Aphrodite.

**Author's Notes: Hope you all enjoyed the latest chapter! This was more of an interlude between Hera and Aphrodite, and setting things up for the future. Now the fun can begin! I hope you all read my note earlier in the chapter. **

**I've replied to one or two by author's reviews, and I shall continue doing so in order to avoid filling up the chapter with replies to reviews. For those users who don't have profiles, however, I shall continue to reply here. Thanks to each and every one of you who had taken the time to review the story. I'm happy so many of you are enjoying it. It gives me great pleasure to hear your thoughts. Hope to hear more from you soon. **

**As always, if anyone else would like to participate in this challenge, the details are on my profile. If you're writing this story, please let me know, and I will add your story to the list. **

**Cheers, **

**Windwhistles**

**LONGNodaichi : **Thanks for the review. That action's going to wait a little, but fun dates should soon be coming up.

Suzu: Thanks for the review! Hope you like the chapter.

Liliesandroses: Thanks for the review!

IrishDiamond: I'm so happy you liked the wedding rings dying. I thought it would be a great way to show the end of their marriage. Read yours the other day, and it's getting really really interesting. I shall leave detailed reviews on it as soon as I finish reading it all the way through again :D

Sadistic Lunatic: Thanks so much for your review. Hope you liked Aphrodite's reaction. Now, she can really get going on her adventures.


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